


Worlds Collide: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim x Fire Emblem Awakening

by KansasVenomoth



Series: Worlds Collide: A Khajiit's Otherworldly Adventures [1]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Khajiit (Elder Scrolls), Multi, Romance, Video & Computer Games, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 54,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24939031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KansasVenomoth/pseuds/KansasVenomoth
Summary: With the most unlikely of circumstances, the hero of Skyrim finds himself in a world not his own. Upon arriving in the arid sands of Plegia, the Nightwalker Dragonborn winds up joining a ragtag group of soldiers in their quest to protect Ylisse, and their world, from all kinds of evils.
Relationships: Chrom/Sumia (Fire Emblem), Ja'vassa/Nowi, Liz | Lissa/My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Series: Worlds Collide: A Khajiit's Otherworldly Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805002
Kudos: 6





	1. A Daedric Lord's Request

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am fully aware that crossovers are lorebreaking in the Elder Scrolls universe, but considering I'm writing this out, this isn't my biggest concern. Please do not come screaming in my inbox that this breaks the rules of the universe.

Like it would most any other morning, the sun had slowly risen over the ashen streets of Raven Rock. For the most part, the settlement was fairly quiet; with the exception of the Redoran Guard wandering the streets, it was silent. No one had yet left their homes or their beds in the Retching Netch Cornerclub, though in the Severin Manor not far from the center of town, the owner had been wide awake doing his usual studies. Ja'vassa, the Khajiiti Dragonborn famed for his skills as a mage and mercenary was preparing to do some field research on the island. His aim was to learn more about Miraak, his uprising, and to see if his uprising had anything to do with the way the other Dragon Priests treated their subjects. After gathering a few journals, along with stocking up his satchel with a number of potions, poisons, food, emergency clothes, soul gems, and a few coin purses; once everything was together, he would focus on getting dressed; throwing off his old robes and throwing his travel robes on along with his ebony gauntlets, boots, and of course, the mask of Nahkriin. Throwing the mask on along with his dual ebony war axes, he was about to head outside, though was interrupted by an unexpected force.

Out of nowhere, slimy tentacles and disembodied eyes began to materialize around the Khajiit, though it was unexpected, Ja'vassa kept his composure as he realized it was the Daedric Lord he called master; Hermaeus Mora himself. It was a bit surprising that Ja'vassa would be contacted before he even left town, though he figured it had to be important. After several moments of the disturbing materialization, the Daedra had spoken. _"Come closer, my Champion... bask in my presence."_ He spoke in a disembodied, metallic sounding voice. _"I've got a new task for you, one I believe you'll find comparable to your skills. Return to the Summit of Apocrypha where you defeated Miraak and the path shall be revealed. Complete this task for me and you will be richly rewarded, Dragonborn..."_ As quickly as the Prince appeared, it had disappeared, leaving Ja'vassa confused, but curious at what his new task would be.

Fortunately for him, he already had his things ready and all that was left was reading the Black Book he kept hidden in the Manor. After reading the book, he had been transported to the tower where that fateful battle with the First Dragonborn occured, though that ordeal was long behind him and now it was time to focus on the new task. Moments after dropping into Apocrypha, his Master had shown up. "What is it that you need me to do, my Lord?" Ja'vassa asked, keeping his usual monotonous, serious tone. Usually, Hermaeus Mora's work often led the Khajiit into exciting, but dangerous adventures; the life risking ventures with amazing rewards... the first encounter led him to visiting his first Dwemer ruin in the pursuit of the Falmer Blood and more importantly, the Elder Scroll. Eventually, that expedition in Blackreach not only rewarded him with an Elder Scroll, but with the Oghma Infinium as well. Months later, Ja'vassa found himself on Solstheim, again in the presence of the Daedric Prince of Fate and Knowledge, that time in pursuit of the First Dragonborn.

 _"As you are no doubt aware, the planes of Oblivion are infinite.. Mundus is infinite.. Aetherius is infinite. Not many are aware that more hide beyond these realms, though difficult to access, it is not completely impossible. Being an immortal Prince has its perks and I've had plenty of time to figure out how to access it."_ Hermaeus Mora started; while the Dragonborn was an incredibly intelligent Khajiit, the stuff being explained to him was effectively flying over his head. He mostly, or at least he assumes he understands the realms of Mundus, Oblivion, and Aetherius, but this was new. Despite his lack of understanding as to what was being said, he nodded anyways, interested in this realm beyond Aetherius. _"I will be sending you to this realm, I cannot tell you what you'll find, but I can assure you that you'll arrive there alive. You are to go and collect any form of knowledge you can find... books, scrolls, journals, anything you can find. Study it and return it to Apocrypha through the Daedric servant you obtain prior to Miraak's defeat. Do this for me and I shall see to it that you're richly rewarded."_

Thinking about it for a moment, Ja'vassa weighed his potential options. It usually isn't a good idea to argue with a Daedric Prince, especially in their own realm. If Miraak was to be an example, arguments or rebellions would likely end in a painful death. There was also the idea of him leaving behind every single person he's ever known; his fellow mages in the College of Winterhold, his Family in the Dark Brotherhood, his Volkihar Vampires, and the many others he's formed bonds with. The fact that his Lord hadn't a clue about what waited for him was a bit alarming, but that was likely the least of his concerns. On the upside, this new world would likely be more accepting of his kind, and maybe he'd be able to start over. Since losing his little sister all those years ago, Ja'vassa has gone down a less than favorable path, with his connections to the Dark Brotherhood, Clan Volkihar, and the Thieves Guild putting a huge stain on his reputation. This new world might give him what he needs to start fresh, to be the hero his sister would want him to be. Not to mention, his curiosity was getting the better of him; it wasn't everyday someone got to explore beyond Oblivion and he wasn't about to let this opportunity slide away. Weighing his options, thinking of the risks involved and the potential rewards that come with it, Ja'vassa nodded in confirmation. "I'll.. I'll do it." He said, wondering if he made a mistake with that. His response seemed to have been favorable with his Master as a strange, violet portal had slowly opened up.

 _"Prepare yourself for whatever awaits on the other side. When I deem your progress satisfactory, I will bring you back to Apocrypha."_ And with that, the Khajiit had cautiously entered the portal, his left hand resting on the handle of one of his axes. As he entered the portal, a brilliant flash of light enveloped him and rather than dropping him in some terrifying realm like he had expected, rather he landed in what appeared to be an expansive desert. Once the light disappeared, he looked around curiously; "It's almost like I landed in Hammerfell, but.." He muttered, though his attention was stolen by what appeared to be an army approaching from the north; all clad in blue and to the south, a number of what he could only assume to be mages dressed in red. "Stormcloaks? Imperials...? Is this just an alternative Tamriel?" He asked himself, deciding to hang back to see just what would happen.  


  



	2. The Shepherds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After arriving in the desert of Plegia, the Dragonborn has unwittingly found himself in combat with some unexpected allies.

Just a couple hundred feet from where the Khajiit landed, he had watched as the two sides approached. Unable to hear from afar, it appeared to him they were discussing a bit of strategy, or at least that was what it seemed before the red clad army had attacked. Normally, Ja'vassa would jump in without thinking; he was never officially a part of the Stormcloaks, though since his sister passed, he always seemed to align himself with them whenever he encountered their skirmishes with the Imperial Soldiers. Since he didn't know which side was the 'right' side and which one wasn't, he pressed himself against a small, broken down structure; his outfit providing for perfect camouflage. He was perfectly content with watching the skirmish, but that was until he noticed a strange pair running into the scene. A young girl and elderly man; from what he could see, the girl seemed absolutely terrified of everyone around her.

"Just... just leave me alone!" The girl shouted, cowering from the man chasing her. Their sudden appearance seemed to have disrupted the skirmish between the red and blue armies. The elderly man's eyes widened after she yelled, "Oy! Quit with the yelling! Giving away our position would be bad, no?" He said, seemingly concerned with both armies at this point.

"Hey! Leave her be!" The leader of the northern army shouted, aiming a strange looking sword his way. "Ah, there she is.. consider this punishment for fleeing!" The red leader shouted in return. It seemed this was enough to convince which army the Khajiit should support, though he would remain behind just to see what would happen. After their sudden appearance and the brief timeout, the battle would resume; sword and spell clashed with much ferocity from both sides, it seemed the girl was slowly growing used to the man as he was genuinely trying to protect her. What was more surprising was the fact that the girl was able to transform into a dragon; it didn't seem that she really needed any help, but even with all that power, they were doomed to fall back. Without help from the other army, they were slowly being overwhelmed. The mercenary's sword had been knocked away while the girl had been separated from him, growing exhausted from the seemingly endless battle. She had been cornered by a pair of mages, both preparing lightning spells in the hopes of incapacitating her.

Before they could fire off the magic, Ja'vassa had made himself known to both sides. _"Wuld... Nah Kest!"_ He shouted, using the Whirlwind Sprint to grab and move the dragon to safety, staring at the would-be attackers from behind his mask. The girl in his arms looked more surprised than afraid, as did the warriors watching the spectacle. "Who in the blazes are you?" The blue haired prince asked, staring in confusion. "I'll explain later, just worry about getting rid of the red guys!" Ja'vassa shouted in return, setting the girl back down. "You stay close to me... you should do the same." He said to the mercenary. In one hand, he wielded his signature war axe and in the other, had an Icy Spear spell at the ready. Once the confusion and surprise of yet another newcomer had died down, the battle resumed, but this time it was going in the favor of the prince's army. Ja'vassa's combination of speed, magic, and his shouts proved to be too much for the opposing army.

Trading magical attack for magical attack, and physical blow for physical blow, the opposing army would slowly be whittled down to just the leader and a few grunts. "Damn you.. this.. this wasn't supposed to turn out like this." Chalard growled, glaring at the Khajiit and the Prince. "Prince Chrom and this... stranger. My army may fall here, but soon you will suffer at the hands of Grima." He added, making a fruitless attempt to fight Ja'vassa's unplanned allies; this as one would expect turned out poorly for him. Being outnumbered nearly three to one, him and the remaining were quickly cut down, and those who chose not to fight have since fled from the battlefield. After what seemed to be an eternity, the battle between the two armies had finally come to an end, much to the relief of many of the combatants.

As one would expect, some introductions were needed. The girl had approached Ja'vassa smiling slightly. "Thank you for saving me.." She said to him before turning to the mercenary. "And.. thanks for helping me back there, I'm sorry for being so rude to you."

Ja'vassa shrugged, "Don't mention, I wasn't about to sit back and watch a child get hurt like that." He responded, soon being cut off by the girl. "I'm not as young as you might think.." She said, a slight giggle escaping her lips; though her statement was met with a confused look. "My people age pretty well, I'm probably around a thousand years old, but look! No wrinkles."

"I.. see. It seems I'll have plenty to learn here." Once again, Ja'vassa had been cut off again, this time by the leader of his unplanned allies. "You're quite the warrior, friend. I'm not sure where you came from, but.. I've never seen anyone with skills like yours. If you hadn't shown up, we might've lost this battle. Thank you." He said, extending his hand out to him. "My name is Chrom, leader of the Shepherds. Mind if we get yours?"

The Khajiit nodded, shaking his hand before he'd remove the mask to reveal his feline-features to a surprised Prince. "I am Ja'vassa, a wanderer from Tamriel." His own introduction only led to more confusion. Before he'd respond to the Khajiit, Chrom had turned to one of his allies. "Robin.. have you ever heard of that place?" He asked, whispering slightly. This question was met by a shake of the head, "No.. I haven't. Judging by his appearance, I'd assume maybe he's a Taguel like Panne?" Robin suggested, though it was clear he was rather confused. "I don't intend to offend you, but we've never heard of Tamriel before." He said to Ja'vassa, rubbing the back of his head in an awkward manner.

A soft laugh escaped the Dragonborn's lips as he listened to the pair, "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it, Tamriel is beyond this realm. It's the land of my birth and depending on how my task here goes, it'll likely be the land of my death too." He explained, though before either the prince or tactician could respond, he had been met with an all too suspicious gaze. "Are you here to bring home to Ylisse or her people?" A tall, blue armored fellow asked, keeping a lance in hand. "What exactly is this task of yours?" Depending on Ja'vassa's answer, it seemed the knight was ready to strike.

This suspicion from the knight received a glare from the Dragonborn. "I assure you, I have no interest in harming anyone. I've been sent to do some studies of this world for my Lord. I cannot say for sure what his intentions are, but I simply intend to do as I was tasked. I do not know if he'll bring me back tomorrow or in a thousand years." This explanation seemed to be sufficient for the knight as he lowered his lance and stepped back. Chrom would be the next to speak up. "I apologize for Frederick.. he's a bit protective of the group, he means well, but he take some getting used to." He said, grinning as Frederick rolled his eyes, though the knight did nothing to argue that.

Now that the lovely conversation was over, Chrom had changed the subject. "Alright, while my tactician and I begin planning our next move, why don't you three join my sister for dinner at our camp?" He suggested, "After we're done, I'd like to extend an invitation to the three of you to officially join the Shepherds." He added, giving them a slight bow before heading off with Robin and Frederick. Nodding in response, Ja'vassa would join Lissa and the others, hoping to see what the rest of the group was like before he'd made his decision. In his mind, there were plenty of positives and negatives to joining them. On one hand, perhaps joining a militia would make it easier for him to do the research of his Lord, not to mention it might be useful to make some allies for as long as he's there. On the other hand, he's never been one to take orders from anyone beyond the Daedric Princes he worships; this being the reason he's not yet joined the Stormcloaks or Imperials. There's also the case of his less than savory past; if that came to light, there's no telling what might happen to him. The Khajiit wasn't worried about them killing him or arresting him, he was more than positive he could take on the entire army without a problem, but, he was hoping to start over and turn over a new leaf. Decisions, decisions... he wasn't sure what to do. For now, he'd focus on trying to get to know the others of the militia.


	3. Forging New Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the battle is over, it's time for Chrom to decide whether these newcomers will be suitable Shepherds.

Just a couple hundred feet from where the Khajiit landed, he had watched as the two sides approached. Unable to hear from afar, it appeared to him they were discussing a bit of strategy, or at least that was what it seemed before the red clad army had attacked. Normally, Ja'vassa would jump in without thinking; he was never officially a part of the Stormcloaks, though since his sister passed, he always seemed to align himself with them whenever he encountered their skirmishes with the Imperial Soldiers. Since he didn't know which side was the 'right' side and which one wasn't, he pressed himself against a small, broken down structure; his outfit providing for perfect camouflage. He was perfectly content with watching the skirmish, but that was until he noticed a strange pair running into the scene. A young girl and elderly man; from what he could see, the girl seemed absolutely terrified of everyone around her.

"Just... just leave me alone!" The girl shouted, cowering from the man chasing her. Their sudden appearance seemed to have disrupted the skirmish between the red and blue armies. The elderly man's eyes widened after she yelled, "Oy! Quit with the yelling! Giving away our position would be bad, no?" He said, seemingly concerned with both armies at this point.

"Hey! Leave her be!" The leader of the northern army shouted, aiming a strange looking sword his way. "Ah, there she is.. consider this punishment for fleeing!" The red leader shouted in return. It seemed this was enough to convince which army the Khajiit should support, though he would remain behind just to see what would happen. After their sudden appearance and the brief timeout, the battle would resume; sword and spell clashed with much ferocity from both sides, it seemed the girl was slowly growing used to the man as he was genuinely trying to protect her. What was more surprising was the fact that the girl was able to transform into a dragon; it didn't seem that she really needed any help, but even with all that power, they were doomed to fall back. Without help from the other army, they were slowly being overwhelmed. The mercenary's sword had been knocked away while the girl had been separated from him, growing exhausted from the seemingly endless battle. She had been cornered by a pair of mages, both preparing lightning spells in the hopes of incapacitating her.

Before they could fire off the magic, Ja'vassa had made himself known to both sides. _"Wuld... Nah Kest!"_ He shouted, using the Whirlwind Sprint to grab and move the dragon to safety, staring at the would-be attackers from behind his mask. The girl in his arms looked more surprised than afraid, as did the warriors watching the spectacle. "Who in the blazes are you?" The blue haired prince asked, staring in confusion. "I'll explain later, just worry about getting rid of the red guys!" Ja'vassa shouted in return, setting the girl back down. "You stay close to me... you should do the same." He said to the mercenary. In one hand, he wielded his signature war axe and in the other, had an Icy Spear spell at the ready. Once the confusion and surprise of yet another newcomer had died down, the battle resumed, but this time it was going in the favor of the prince's army. Ja'vassa's combination of speed, magic, and his shouts proved to be too much for the opposing army.

Trading magical attack for magical attack, and physical blow for physical blow, the opposing army would slowly be whittled down to just the leader and a few grunts. "Damn you.. this.. this wasn't supposed to turn out like this." Chalard growled, glaring at the Khajiit and the Prince. "Prince Chrom and this... stranger. My army may fall here, but soon you will suffer at the hands of Grima." He added, making a fruitless attempt to fight Ja'vassa's unplanned allies; this as one would expect turned out poorly for him. Being outnumbered nearly three to one, him and the remaining were quickly cut down, and those who chose not to fight have since fled from the battlefield. After what seemed to be an eternity, the battle between the two armies had finally come to an end, much to the relief of many of the combatants.

As one would expect, some introductions were needed. The girl had approached Ja'vassa smiling slightly. "Thank you for saving me.." She said to him before turning to the mercenary. "And.. thanks for helping me back there, I'm sorry for being so rude to you."

Ja'vassa shrugged, "Don't mention, I wasn't about to sit back and watch a child get hurt like that." He responded, soon being cut off by the girl. "I'm not as young as you might think.." She said, a slight giggle escaping her lips; though her statement was met with a confused look. "My people age pretty well, I'm probably around a thousand years old, but look! No wrinkles."

"I.. see. It seems I'll have plenty to learn here." Once again, Ja'vassa had been cut off again, this time by the leader of his unplanned allies. "You're quite the warrior, friend. I'm not sure where you came from, but.. I've never seen anyone with skills like yours. If you hadn't shown up, we might've lost this battle. Thank you." He said, extending his hand out to him. "My name is Chrom, leader of the Shepherds. Mind if we get yours?"

The Khajiit nodded, shaking his hand before he'd remove the mask to reveal his feline-features to a surprised Prince. "I am Ja'vassa, a wanderer from Tamriel." His own introduction only led to more confusion. Before he'd respond to the Khajiit, Chrom had turned to one of his allies. "Robin.. have you ever heard of that place?" He asked, whispering slightly. This question was met by a shake of the head, "No.. I haven't. Judging by his appearance, I'd assume maybe he's a Taguel like Panne?" Robin suggested, though it was clear he was rather confused. "I don't intend to offend you, but we've never heard of Tamriel before." He said to Ja'vassa, rubbing the back of his head in an awkward manner.

A soft laugh escaped the Dragonborn's lips as he listened to the pair, "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it, Tamriel is beyond this realm. It's the land of my birth and depending on how my task here goes, it'll likely be the land of my death too." He explained, though before either the prince or tactician could respond, he had been met with an all too suspicious gaze. "Are you here to bring home to Ylisse or her people?" A tall, blue armored fellow asked, keeping a lance in hand. "What exactly is this task of yours?" Depending on Ja'vassa's answer, it seemed the knight was ready to strike.

This suspicion from the knight received a glare from the Dragonborn. "I assure you, I have no interest in harming anyone. I've been sent to do some studies of this world for my Lord. I cannot say for sure what his intentions are, but I simply intend to do as I was tasked. I do not know if he'll bring me back tomorrow or in a thousand years." This explanation seemed to be sufficient for the knight as he lowered his lance and stepped back. Chrom would be the next to speak up. "I apologize for Frederick.. he's a bit protective of the group, he means well, but he take some getting used to." He said, grinning as Frederick rolled his eyes, though the knight did nothing to argue that.

Now that the lovely conversation was over, Chrom had changed the subject. "Alright, while my tactician and I begin planning our next move, why don't you three join my sister for dinner at our camp?" He suggested, "After we're done, I'd like to extend an invitation to the three of you to officially join the Shepherds." He added, giving them a slight bow before heading off with Robin and Frederick. Nodding in response, Ja'vassa would join Lissa and the others, hoping to see what the rest of the group was like before he'd made his decision. In his mind, there were plenty of positives and negatives to joining them. On one hand, perhaps joining a militia would make it easier for him to do the research of his Lord, not to mention it might be useful to make some allies for as long as he's there. On the other hand, he's never been one to take orders from anyone beyond the Daedric Princes he worships; this being the reason he's not yet joined the Stormcloaks or Imperials. There's also the case of his less than savory past; if that came to light, there's no telling what might happen to him. The Khajiit wasn't worried about them killing him or arresting him, he was more than positive he could take on the entire army without a problem, but, he was hoping to start over and turn over a new leaf. Decisions, decisions... he wasn't sure what to do. For now, he'd focus on trying to get to know the others of the militia.


	4. Emmeryn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In spite of their efforts, they were unable to prevent the Exalt's capture and now, it seems they've run out of options.

After a long and restless night for much of the Shepherds, the fateful day had finally arrived. Chrom was quick to fill them in on the plan he and Robin had devised, and now, it was time to put it into action. If the day was to go down in their favor, they needed to be quick and needed to ensure that every little detail goes just as planned. Once the group got breakfast in and ready for battle, they'd begin their march. Chrom and Robin led the group, aiming for the execution grounds. Desperation remained plastered on their face as they knew if they failed today, the Exalt of Ylisse, and perhaps more, would be lost.

As they traveled, the Plegians had begun their preparations for the execution of Emmeryn; standing at the edge of a precarious cliff, a warrior standing just a few feet behind her. "Good people of Plegia! Warriors, citizens, soldiers, welcome to a most glorious day! Many of us remember the atrocities of this witch's father... how his army, the supposedly peaceful and righteous Ylisseans stormed across our borders and slaughtered our people by the thousands. It's by this reversal of fortunes that we'll be able to exact our vengeance." The Mad King spoke in a triumphant, victorious sounding tone. Turning to the brigand brandishing the axe, he grinned. "Executioner, if you would be so... kind?" He watched in surprise as another axe flew in, seemingly out of nowhere. Though he was momentarily confused by the sudden attack, that look of shock was replaced with a dastardly grin as he noticed the source of the attacks. "Oh-ho. How disgustingly noble of you, young prince. You're just in time to watch your darling sister become nothing more than a graceful splatter on the ground." He taunted, grinning at the increasingly frustrated Chrom.

"Dammit.. to arms, everyone! Deal with the soldiers first, then we'll take out the Mad King!" The Prince ordered, raising his legendary sword. The determined looks, the desperate orders, all of it seemed to amuse the King more than frighten him. "Soldiers, give these Ylissean pups nowhere to run, show them a massacre worthy of the prince's legendary father! Let their blood decorate the sands!" He ordered, sitting back and watching from the safety of the fortress walls. The Exalt watched quietly from her perch, that peaceful, but lost expression never once changing as the battle had begun. Chrom and Robin split up, leading two different groups in the hopes of breaking up the opposing army. Chrom led a group consisting of Frederick, Lissa, Gregor, Sully, Stahl, and Ricken while Robin led another group consisting of Ja'vassa, Nowi, Lon'qu, Sumia, Cordelia, and Miriel.

Early on, the battle went along pretty smoothly. Ja'vassa led the charge with his own fancy footwork, though admittedly, fighting on sand like this wasn't a strong suit of his. He was used to fighting on the frozen soil of Skyrim, or the barren landscape of Solstheim, so he was a bit out of his element in this new world, but nonetheless was able to do plenty of damage with his powerful magic, though with the harsh desert sun, he quickly found himself becoming exhausted. His stamina won't regenerate and his magicka was limited, but that didn't stop him from trying his best to keep with everyone. "Ja'vassa! Pull back for now, we don't need you pushing yourself too hard. Stand back and support us!" Robin suggested, fending off a wyvern rider. Normally, the Khajiit's pride would've had him refusing to back down, but the tactician was right. Had he continued fighting, it could've put him in a bad position. Taking a few steps back, Ja'vassa kept a Thunderbolt spell in one hand and a Healing Hands in another, in an attempt to further support the group, he decided to employ a shout. "Robin! Make sure you and the others are ready. Battle Fury will strengthen your weapons, but only for a short while." The Dragonborn informed him, receiving a nod from the white haired man.

"Mid... vur shaan!" Ja'vassa shouted, unleashing a strange blast of energy that would envelop his allies. With their attacks being sped up, the Ylisseans were doing remarkably well, quickly cutting down those who would oppose them. Soon, they were able to break through the frontline. Before getting too much further, they had found themselves unknowingly allied with an incredible woman; she swung her axe with a mixture of unparalleled grace and brutality. Chrom looked towards her with a mixture of fear and surprise; he wasn't sure if she was just in the battle for the sake of bloody murder or if she was trying to help the Shepherds, but nonetheless, this prompted the prince to approach. "Hold, friend! I don't know where you came from, but I grateful for the help." He greeted, wearing his friendliest smile.

"Ah! Prince Chrom! Thank the heavens you're alive!" The 'woman' said, wearing a joyful smile. This received a blank stare from the prince. "You know of me?" He questioned, receiving a quick nod from the newcomer.

"Of course I do, all Ylissean clergy are. Of course, our meeting isn't why I was sent here.. my comrades and I came out here to stop the execution, but it seems we were too late." An exhausted sigh escaped the warrior's lips. Chrom shook his head, "You're not too late, cleric.. we're getting close to the Mad King. But, we could use such--" He was interrupted by the 'cleric'. "Man, sire.. man of the cloth." He reminded him, receiving a blank stare from the prince. "Let's try not to dwell on it, we've got more important matters to attend to." He added, pointing towards Robin's group who were slowly chipping away at the Plegian army. Nodding at the monk, Chrom had resumed his own assault, his group soon reuniting with the others.

What seemed to be a futile effort at first was slowly turning into what could become a critical victory for the Ylisseans, the Plegians were being slain one by one, some fled before they could be cut down. They were soon at the front door of the Plegian fortress, but they would be stopped by a reluctant dark mage; "You there! You fight for the enemy, yet you're reluctant to attack. How come?" Chrom asked, keeping his blade at the ready. The mage looked to the prince with a bit of indifference, "Death comes to us all, though I don't believe in inviting it early for a cause I don't believe in. Long live the king and all, but I want to keep on living too." She replied, shrugging slightly. "I do have a bit of a rebellious side.. and some could say a bit of a dark side too."

The prince was hesitant at first, "Perhaps you'd be willing to rebel and join us?" He asked, receiving a surprised look from the dark mage. "You would allow me to join even through we were just enemies? Even if this was just a ploy to plunge a dagger into your back?" She asked, entertaining the option. "I'm.. I'm trying to learn from the Exalt. She'd trust you, so I will as well. With or without you, I have to watch my back anyways, so one more isn't an issue." Chrom shrugged, though this received a slow nod from the woman. "That's not the answer I expected, but... you may consider me an ally for now." She replied, soon joining the Ylisseans in the fight.

Their new allies, their determination, Ja'vassa supports, all of this proved to be overwhelming for the opposing army. This led them to finally meeting with the general stationed here. "Milord, you and Robin should focus on their general, let the rest of us hold the others off." Frederick suggested, having just come out of another battle. The prince and tactician shared a brief glance, nodding. "Right, you better not fail Frederick!" Chrom responded, engaging the general in battle. He fought up close, though his sword was at a disadvantage, fortunately for him, Robin was providing ample support with a mixture of Elfire and Arcthunder, being a fairly overwhelming combination.

After delivering the final blow, Chrom grinned. "Robin! That's our cue, I'm giving the signal!" He shouted, with a group of pegasus riders rushing in, providing some support to Chrom's group. That dastardly grin plastered on the Mad King's face had been replaced with a surprised, almost frustrated expression. "What? Where'd they come from?" He growled, clenching his fist. "That damned tactician doesn't play fair!" Slamming his fist on the wall, he turned to his sultry attendant who wore a sly, almost seductive smile. "Yes, but... neither do I." The smile turned into a smirk as she opened a strange box, a horde of undead soldiers surrounding the newly arrived pegasus riders. This elicited a surprised reaction from not only the Shepherds, but from the Mad King himself, though this surprised reaction turned into two very different appearances. Chrom's group quickly transitioned to a frustrated, defeated look. All of their struggles at that point were for naught as the undead effortlessly slain the fliers, knocking them one by one. "No! Phila!" Chrom cried out, watching as she and her mount plummeted to the ground. The sudden reversal of fortunes caused Gangrel to cackle, that dastardly grin returning. "By the gods.. did an army of the undead just appear out of the blue to fight for me? Oh, it seems the gods themselves favor me!" He said in between those snarling cackles of his.

"No.. I.. no.." Robin clenched his teeth, becoming increasingly frustrated at this unfortunate situation. All the planning, all the bloodshed, everything that had happened. "Now, it seems we'll have to come to an agreement, no? Unless you want your sister to become a new practice dummy for my soldier, I'd recommend you lay down your weapons and perhaps throw the Fire Emblem in my direction, then maybe I'll consider sparing your sister." The King's demands forced Chrom to freeze in place, his sword twitching in his hands. "I..." Before he could say anything else, Gangrel interrupted. "I will not ask a second time. Give me the Fire Emblem, lay down your weapons, and surrender. I will not hesitate to have my archers resume the execution. What is it, little prince? Will you surrender the Fire Emblem or will you be the one responsible for the death of your sister?"

The shaking of his sword arm only became more apparent, "I... I..." He bit his lip, looking towards Robin and his younger sister. "You can't listen to him, he.. he'll just kill her anyways!" LIssa reminded him, though this received a frustrated, defeated sigh. "I know, but..." Chrom wanted nothing more than to just scream, but he decided not to. "Alright, alright! I.. I know you won't approve of this, sis, and maybe the Emblem would've helped us in the future, but.. we need you, Emm.. Ylisse needs you." He turned to the rest of his army. "Everyone... lay down your weapons. Gangrel, you---"

A shout from Emmeryn effectively shut Chrom down. "Gangrel, is there no hope that you might listen to reason?" She asked, her tone remaining surprisingly calm despite her current situation. "You mean more of your pitiful voice? I think not, I want nothing more than watch your demise, unless someone wants to hand me the Fire Emblem immediately!" The Mad King bellowed, his archers training their arrows on the Exalt. Biting his lip, Chrom had reached for the Fire Emblem, though he had intended to give up the Emblem, Emmeryn interrupted once again. "Chrom... I appreciate the thought, but.. I know what must be done." That peaceful, calm look transformed into a determined look. Chrom's eyes widened, Lissa's eyes began filling with tears, silence filled the desert air, with the only sound coming from anywhere was the wind gently blowing. "Emm.. what are you?" Chrom muttered, forcing his own tears back.

"People of Plegia, heed my words... What has this war won besides sorrow and pain inside and outside your own borders? I know what Ylisse did cannot be forgiven, but I plead for you to release your hatred and vengeance, help me forge in a new era of peace and prosperity! See how just even one selfless act has the power to change the world, as I'm demonstrating here!" Emmeryn said, approaching the edge of the cliff, Chrom's eyes widened as he came to realize what was about to happen. "Emm... no, you can't.. you can't do this!" He shouted, but this held no impact on her.

"Was I wrong? They remain in silence.." Emmeryn sighed softly, that determined face transitioning into a peaceful smile. "So be it.. Chrom, it's time you took my place.." She paused, folding her hands as she leaned forward, allowing herself to fall from the cliff, her eyes closed as she accepted her fate. 'Chrom.. Lissa.. know that I loved you...' Was the last thought to roll through her mind before she ultimately hit the ground, her life fading from her almost immediately. Despite his best efforts, Chrom failed to get to her. The crowd, the Shepherds, the Plegian soldiers, and even King Gangrel stood in stunned silence, at least until the Mad King burst into laughter. "Even in death, the once exalted Emmeryn just exudes grace! I've seen many fall, but that was the finest I've seen. I'll be sure to put her up for display, so all can see her Grace in all her glory." He cackled, this received an enraged shout from Chrom. "You.. you die today, Gangrel!" He shouted, grabbing Falchion with nothing but rage and despair shining in his eyes.

Before he was able to do anything stupid, Basilio and Flavia showed up. "Come on, boy! We need to get out of here!" Basilio shouted, grabbing the prince's arm. Rather than complying, Chrom was reluctant and struggled to stay, "B-but.. her... her body! I-I have to recover it!" He argued, struggling against the Khan's grip. "No! We don't need anyone else dying today! Robin! Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!" He ordered, with the white haired tactician nodding, helping the Khan drag the broken prince away from the scene.


	5. An Inspiring Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the recent tragedies fresh in the minds of many, the Shepherds begin their preparations to destroy the Mad King once and for all.

The Ylisseans ran and ran for what seemed like to be an eternity, they would get sidetracked by an unfortunately familiar foe. Even with what happened to Lady Emmeryn, it was clear that the Mad King wasn't about to give up the Fire Emblem, especially seeing that the group would most likely be demoralized after such a brutal loss. For the most part, Gangrel would be right. Chrom, Lissa, Robin, even Ja'vassa were still trying to process what had just transpired. Though, as a result of the incoming Plegian soldiers, they had little time to process it. "Dammit... we have carriages waiting for us.. but, it seems we'll have to deal with this bastards first.." Basilio snarled, grabbing his silver axe. The others readied themselves for battle; this one hit especially close to Ja'vassa. He knew all too well of the pain of losing someone dear to him; his own sister was robbed of him many years before he even discovered he was Dragonborn, so he wanted to do what he could to aid Chrom and Lissa in this.

"Hold, Ylisseans! I come not to fight you, but to offer mercy! Lay down your weapons and I vow to protect you the best I can!" The Plegian general offered, his tone sounding sincere, though like one would expect, the Shepherds chose otherwise. "How can we believe you after what that barbarian you call a king did?" Frederick retorted, pointing his lance towards his enemy. "Your anger is justified, Ylisseans, but remember that Lady Emmeryn wouldn't want this to come to bloodshed!" Mustafa reminded them, though his intentions were good, the very mention of the Exalt's name caused the prince's blood to boil. "Shut up! After all that your damn king has done, you have no right to utter her name!" Chrom cried out, his voice seething with anger. "I think I'll take my chance with a sword in hand!" Amidst the anguish he felt, there was a new determination in him, one built from a mix of sorrow, justice, and vengeance.

The cry from Chrom triggered an outcry of support from his troops, many of them shouting out similar retorts to the Plegian general. Now that Mustafa realized he would not be able to persuade them one way or another, he knew that it would come down to bloodshed. "Very well! I'll see to it that I give you a quick and honorable end. If you wish to leave here with your lives, then you must win them!" He bellowed, slamming the head of his axe to the ground, signaling the start of the battle. Though the battle at the Plegia castle courtyard was merely hours ago, the Shepherds were ready and raring for more, eager to get back at the ones that have caused nothing but pain and destruction, inside and outside of their borders. With Chrom and Robin leading the charge, Plegians and the scurrying thieves were cut down without a second thought. Blood splattered on the ground, mixing in with the muddied grounds; sword against sword, spell against spell, it was a ferocious battle, one with much anger on both sides.

Though the battle with the Plegian was brief and bloody, it felt as it went on for an eternity. Fortunately, thanks to the morale and the strength of Chrom's army, they had proven themselves to be the superior unit and with the fall of the opposing general, they were finally able to make it to the carriages that Khan Basilio promised. "Soldiers, meet Olivia.. she'll be getting us out of this hellhole." He said, grinning as he approached the timid dancer. "Khan Basilio! I'm so relieved to see you and the others... but, I'm afraid we won't be alone for long if we don't leave now. Countless Plegians are no doubt in pursuit." Olivia suggested, motioning for the carriages. Seeing as the girl was no doubt correct about that, the Ylisseans and Feroxis climbed aboard, soon heading off for Castle Ferox.

At the Castle, there were no celebrations or parties among the soldiers, an air of sorrow and failure surrounded them. "All the bloodshed.. all the sleepless nights.. all for nothing." Robin spoke in a soft tone, holding back a few sobs. In the background, Lissa could be heard holding her own sobs back, clearly devastated at the loss of someone so dear to her. Chrom looked towards his sister, then to his tactician. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Robin.. your plan was flawless as usual, I was the one that failed.. I was.. I was just so powerless.." The prince said, his lips quivering slightly. With some slight hesitation, Robin spoke up again. "So was I.. alone and powerless, just many of the soldiers gathered here. You were the one that brought us together, you were the one that led the charge.. don't give up Emmeryn's ideals." He pleaded, though this only brought more worries from Chrom.

"What if I can't? What if I'm not worthy to lead? What if I drag you and the others down with me?" Chrom asked, though this seemed to receive a bit of an annoyed response from the Khajiit. "Dammit, Chrom.. I'm tired of this. I know what just happened is hard on you, but there isn't time to mourn, not yet at least." Ja'vassa started, his tone sounding a little more serious. Nowi grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him, though this was fruitless as the Khajiit just yanked it away. "I've been where you are.. I lost my sister years ago, it hurt.. but, it made me who I am. She didn't want me wallowing in self pity and I know your sister wouldn't want the same from you. There will be plenty of time for mourning after the battle is over, but for as long as the Mad King is out there, this war will never end. If our leader starts faltering from his path, so will the rest of the army.. and I assure you, that'll turn out poorly for your kingdom." He paused, sighing softly. "Like the tactician said, look at the people you've brought with you. Slaves, farmers, mercenaries, even Plegian soldiers. You brought us under one goal, that says a lot about you. Emmeryn sacrificed herself because she believes in you, just as the rest of us do. You are worthy, Chrom. Don't let this stop you, if you do, then you might as well return to your castle. Don't let her faith or our faith be for naught. We put our trust in you, don't make us look stupid for doing so"

Though the Dragonborn's words were harsh, it seemed to be enough to work on the prince. Chrom was silent, he looked to see the various people among the Shepherds. Ja'vassa was right.. people of every background were there, all in support of the Ylissean cause. "You're.. you're right.. I'm sorry. We've got some work to do. Peace will not return to the realm until the Mad King has been defeated." He had a rather determined look as he spoke, realizing what has to be done. The Khajiit wore a proud grin, the other soldiers seemed determined. Sumia, the secret love interest of Chrom, had approached the prince. "Emmeryn would be proud of you, Captain. You've become strong.. and an amazing leader." She said, smiling brightly. "Now, let's get some rest and get ready for tomorrow." Agreeing to the suggestion, the warriors had made their way towards their beds, though rather than going straight to bed, Nowi had pulled Ja'vassa to the side, seemingly wanting to talk with him.

"Is everything alright, little one?" Ja'vassa asked, looking a bit confused. He was always happy to speak with the manakete, but this was unexpected. The girl nodded, "I just wanted to get to know you a little bit. Back there, you mentioned you lost your sister. Can I ask you about that? Or maybe we can just talk." She asked, watching as the Khajiit sat down nearby. Without much hesitation, she had taken a seat on his lap, leaning back to steal some of his warmth. Ja'vassa was quiet, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. "My sister was killed almost 20 years ago..." He started, Nowi's gentle smile softening slightly. "I'm sorry, Java.. I hadn't intended to bring up bad memories.." She whimpered slightly.

He waved it off. "There's no point in moping over things you can't change. Her death.. her death was painful, but.. if it weren't for that, I doubt you and I would be talking now. It wasn't long after her death that I discovered I was Dragonborn, that I really began exploring Skyrim and other parts of Tamriel." He paused, looking down towards the girl. "You know, you kind of remind me of my sister.. at least in terms of your personality. You're just as energetic and as affectionate as she was.. and funnily enough, Java was what she used to call me." After he finished speaking, he had gently wrapped his arms around the manakete, keeping the gentle smile on his face. Nowi couldn't help but smile, nodding. "It's sad that she's gone, but I'm glad you're here with us. I'll be here if you ever need to talk.." She yawned slightly, soon finding herself asleep in the comfort of the Dragonborn's arms, that soft smile never leaving her face. Ja'vassa soon fell asleep with her, feeling at peace for the first time since he was in Elsweyr with his beloved Armani.


	6. The Mad King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gangrel has wrought so much sorrow and pain with the war, and now, it's time for the Shepherds to do away with him and restore peace to the realm.

With the unfortunate death of the Exalt behind them, the allied Ylissean and Feroxi forces began preparations for one last stand against the barbarous people of Plegia. Arming themselves to teeth; every remaining soldier had near flawless equipment, the best available potions, the sturdiest armor, and whatever else was needed to ensure this would be a success. Once everything was ready, Chrom would take a few steps in front of the army, raising his sword in a hopeful, triumphant manner. "This is it, soldiers! Ylisseans, Feroxis, Plegians, outsiders, and anyone else who's with us today, this is our final battle! There will be time for recovery afterwards, but for now, we've got a job to do. When you return home to your families and friends, you will be heroes of the realm. If you're ready, follow me!" He ordered, sheathing his legendary blade before heading off for the Plegian Castle with his army following close behind.

After several hours of marching, the army had arrived at a pasture just a short distance from the castle, being met with a rather gleeful looking Gangrel. "Ah, so you've returned, Prince. I don't expect you're here to hand over the Emblem, are you? That's fine, of course, I'd be happy to take it off your corpse." He greeted, a dastardly grin arriving on his face. Pointing his blade towards the Mad King, Chrom wore a determined glare on his face. "We're here to kill you and restore the peace to the realm!" His tone sounded just as determined as he looked, though rather than receiving any gasps or applause from his enemy, the king just cackled at him. "Peace? You're gonna restore peace? Thanks for the laugh.. I enjoy a good joke before I start bloodying my sword.. you don't know the first thing about peace, no man does! When someone gives you blood, you answer with more blood! Even if you do kill me, I will not be the last to shed more of your people's blood. There will be more! It's an endless cycle!" As he said this, cackles would occasionally escape his lips. "But, I suppose that line of yours will make for a fitting epitaph for your grave."

Suddenly, the sadistically jovial tone had been replaced with something more serious. "But, that's enough talk.. if you wish to leave here with your lives, you must win them. Loyal Plegians! Stand up and kill these dastardly Ylisseans, don't leave so much as a trace of their existence behind!" He ordered, waving the Levin Sword in front of him as his soldiers began to march towards their enemy. In response to that, Chrom waved Falchion in front of him, prompting his soldiers to march towards the opponent. Chrom led one half of the army while Robin led another, each aiming to separate the group in order to keep Gangrel vulnerable, or at least as vulnerable as they could make him. Within mere moments of the battle starting, the once beautiful, green field had been stained with the crimson colored blood. Corpses from both sides piled up, the sounds of weapons clashing against each other created a deadly harmony with the screams of those cut down.

Thus far, the battle has been short and bloody, just the way the Plegian King liked it. Seeing that there was little progress being made, Chrom shouted towards the Khajiit, "Hey! You remember those... words you used back in the desert? I'd imagine those might come in handy here!" He suggested as he fended off an incoming barbarian. Ja'vassa nodded and would use the shout in question, _"Mid... vur shaan!"_ He shouted, surrounding his allies in the same energy as before. This quickly turned the tides in the favor of the Shepherds; their attack speed was increased exponentially and thanks to this, they began to push back the Plegian army. The gleeful, triumphant smile on Gangrel's face slowly fell, being replaced with an angry, almost nervous expression. "That.. that damn wizard.." He grunted, "Soldiers! Go for the masked wizard!" He ordered, though unfortunately for them, it wouldn't be enough to stop Ja'vassa; the sunlight was largely ineffective against him thanks to the cloudy skies, giving him full access to his extensive magicka pool, nor would he be held back by his weakened stamina.

Not only did he have the advantage with his numerous spells, but considering that Nowi had been backing him up, along with the various other soldiers that made up the group, the Plegians could do little to stop their advance. Even with Battle Fury wearing off, the opposing army was reduced to a mere fraction of what it was. With the path opened to Gangrel, Ja'vassa looked towards the prince and tactician. "You two! Go for their leader! The rest of us will hold his soldiers off until you can finish the job!" He suggested, firing off an Icy Spear towards an incoming wyvern rider. "This might be our only chance, so don't waste it!" The recipients of that suggestion looked towards each other before nodding, "Right! You better not get yourself killed back there!" Robin shouted back at him, rushing at Gangrel alongside the Prince. Rather than just cutting the Mad King down like intended, he was able to ward off their incoming attacks. His anger, his desperation, and even his fear played into this final showdown; in this state, his attacks were wildly unpredictable, even to himself. "Little Princeling! Will you be able to face your people without the one they loved most?" He asked, trying to get at Chrom in the hopes of getting the upper hand.

This wouldn't work; the death of Emmeryn and the uncertainty of whether or not he'd truly be able to carry out her will was weighing heavily on his mind, but a certain someone had snapped him out of that funk. "I'll figure that out when I get there! For now, I'm more focused on cutting you down!" Chrom retorted, pushing Gangrel back. "You've started an unnecessary war, slaughtering those who had nothing to do with it, and today, I'm ending it." After speaking, he would plunge his blade deep into the Mad King's chest, causing him to cough up a bit of blood. "Heh.. well done, Prince.. but, you've accomplished nothing but continuing this chain of violence.." The king's eyes fluttered, "You are alone.. your people.. will chew you up and throw you out. You will die alone, as every man will." A few more pained coughs escaped him before he finally succumbed to his injury, a pained, yet gleeful grin remaining on his face.

Now that Gangrel has fallen, it seemed many of the Plegian soldiers had begun surrendering, not wanting to keep up this pointless battle any longer. Seeing this, Chrom had wiped off his weapon before sheathing. "Shepherds, allies! Hold your weapons! The war is over!" He shouted, receiving a mixture of surprised and joyful looks from both sides of the army. "Friends, enemies.. return home and spread the good news. Shepherds, we're making our way for Ylisstol to begin the process of mending the scars of war." This seemed to be a pleasing answer as the armies would split up, the Ylisseans returning from whence they came. As if on cue, the hiding sun would slowly emerge from behind the depressing clouds, lighting up the blood stained battlefield. All that was left was for Chrom to prepare for his new as the Exalt of Ylisse, though he wasn't sure if he was ready. The battle might've been over, but it seemed their work had only just begun.


	7. The Dragonborn and Manakete

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the war in Plegia behind them, the Shepherds can now focus on mending the scars left by the conflict. Since meeting, a certain manakete and outsider have become particularly close to each other.

With the war in Plegia behind them, the allied forces of Ylisse and Regna Ferox had split and returned to their homelands, with many of the Shepherds choosing to take a bit of a vacation to rest and recover from the horrors of war. Ja'vassa and Nowi were no exceptions to this; now that he no longer had to focus on the battle at hand, he could begin to work on the task his Lord had given him in the first place. While the battle raged, he was able to collect a few tomes and notebooks, but it didn't really seem like just a handful of reading material would satisfy a Daedric Prince, so now he could properly conduct some research until Chrom and Robin would have use of him again; being quite attached to each other, Nowi decided she'd go with him to which Ja'vassa wouldn't object. Their first day would mostly involve them just relaxing and figuring out where they had intended to go.

Remaining in the barracks of the Shepherds, Nowi had found herself resting her friend's lap, watching as he looked at the Ylissean map. "Hey.. I know you're eager to go exploring Java, but do you think we could hang back for a bit? I'd like to get to know you a little more.. maybe learn about your past." The manakete said, looking up at him. "We've been together for a little while now and I barely know you, apart from your name and a few things.. I'd like to know what Skyrim was like, and maybe if you're okay with it, maybe your family?" She asked, turning to wrap her arms around him, only to receive a gentle hug in return. "Where do I start? Uh... let's see... Skyrim is a beautiful land, a snowy province filled with sights unlike anything you'll find here. The beautiful plains of Whiterun, the towering mountains that made up much of its landscape. The history practically radiates from each stone.. It was incredible." The Khajiit said, a bit of a smile on his face. "In spite of its immense beauty, it was a dangerous place.. there was barely a day that went by without something trying to kill me. Bandits, dragons, wildlife.. of course, my... line of work really didn't make things much easier on me."

Though Nowi was fascinated by what she heard, her eyes practically sparkling in wonder, she found herself curious at what he meant. "What exactly was your work? I mean... if you were just like a merchant, I doubt that'd make things any more dangerous.." She stated, tilting her head. There was obvious hesitation in his eyes, as he wasn't sure how she'd take his past. He had found himself falling in love with Nowi; with every moment he spent with her, the more his heart yearned for hers. The vampiric blood in his veins meant he would have a long life ahead of him and he didn't really want to be alone for it, despite his reluctance to return to the romantic scene following the death of his wife and daughter, he figured now was a good time to start moving on, this time with the first person he properly met in this new world.

After a few moments of an awkward silence, he figured he might as well come clean, she'd find out eventually. "My.. my life in Tamriel wasn't.. clean. I didn't make the best of decisions.. I joined an assassin cult, became a professional thief, and joined a bloodthirsty clan of vampires. After Chiara died, I lost control of who I was and took the wrong path. Hundreds, perhaps thousands have died by magic alone.. Things only became worse after I lost my wife." He spoke in a soft, wavering voice, seemingly holding back his own emotions. Rather than being shocked or scared of him, Nowi looked a bit sad; she reached up and grabbed the Khajiit's cheeks. "You've been through a lot, haven't you, Java? I can see it in your eyes. Though you say otherwise, your eyes look like they're hurting." Her tone was no longer as curious or energetic as they were previously, but rather it was a soft and gentle tone.

"I.. I promised Chiara.. and Armani that I'd be strong for them, that.. I'd move on. I wasn't going to slow down because of it, but.. I.. I.." Ja'vassa muttered, forcing the tears back. The girl in his arms pressed a finger to his mouth, "You are strong.. Perhaps your past isn't exactly clean, but it seems to me you've done a lot of good in your world and in this world too.. after all, if it weren't for you I would've either been killed or back on the auction block. I assure you, your sister and wife would be happy for you, those you've lost along the way are no doubt proud of what you've accomplished." As she spoke, she held Ja'vassa tighter, pressing herself against him. "You are strong, the problem is, you've been strong for too long. It's okay to cry if you need to. You can use my shoulder if you need." She offered, brushing her hair back.

Ja'vassa hesitated greatly; he was Dragonborn, a deadly assassin and vampire who's name was feared across Skyrim and even beyond for being an incredibly dangerous opponent, even for the most experienced of warriors. He was supposed to be strong, be the unshakable, stalwart hero of the people, but it seemed the desire overcame him. He tightly hugged Nowi, letting the tears roll down his furry cheeks. "I.. I.. I just.." He blubbered, unable to get much more out as he sobbed; since he lost Armani all those years ago, he hadn't been able to really just.. let loose like this. Everyone expected him to remain standing when others fell, to be the one to carry the weight of his past on his own, or at least that's he assumed, but thanks to her, he could finally get it off him. A few moments would pass before he finally calmed down, wiping off his cheeks as he sighed. "Thank you, Nowi.. thank you.." He paused, not yet letting her go. "I.. I appreciate what you've done since we met." This caused Nowi to give him one of her trademark cheerful smiles. "Of course! I'll always be here for you, Java." She responded, slowly pulling away from the hug, though she'd remain sitting in his lap.

The Dragonborn hesitated for a moment before digging into his satchel, "Nowi.. there is something I want to give you." He said, though she did not respond, she merely looked up to him with an inquisitive stare. "We really haven't known each other for more than a few weeks, but.. I want you to have this." He had pulled out a small amulet, seemingly encrusted in rubies. "This is an Amulet of Mara.. in Tamriel, Mara is the Goddess of Love." He sighed, clearly not good at this kind of thing. It's been almost a decade since he had last spoken with Armani, so naturally, he'd be a little rusty. "I'm.. I'm probably interpreting this wrong, but when a person wants to, uh.. express their love for someone, they offer them the amulet.. and, well... I love you.. and I, uh.. want you to have this." He said, the normally level headed Ja'vassa was now stuttering and babbling like a love struck idiot.

Nowi wouldn't respond right away, she stared at him with mild surprise until the realization of what he said hit her, that's when her cheeks would flush a deep red and her eyes filled with joyful tears. "Oh, Java... I... I love you too!" She said happily, practically tackling him into a hug. "I've.. I've always wanted a relationship like this.. and seeing as we've both got long lives, we'll have plenty of time to make lots of stories together!" That smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on her face now. Shaking his head, Ja'vassa laughed as he stood up, lifting up the girl with him. "You might be small, but damn.. you're strong, Nowi." He admitted, still holding her close to him. "I'm glad the feeling is mutual.. I promise that for as long as I'm still breathing, my heart will be yours. I will always love you." He promised, gently holding her cheek. After a brief moment of just staring into each other's eyes, they slowly gravitated towards each other to share their first kiss together, one filled with much love and joy. Just days ago, Ja'vassa was planning to do nothing more than accomplish his lord's task, but then he met Nowi, that's when everything changed. Convinced he was no longer dreaming, he was now convinced that this really was a reward from Hermaeus Mora; all the hard work and dedication for the Daedra's desires earned him a fresh start on life and someone to hold close when he needs it the most. Things were finally looking up for him; he no longer had to work in the shadows with the Dark Brotherhood, the Thieves Guild, or Volkihar; he no longer had to be shunned due to his Khajiiti heritage or due to his preference for magic; for the first time in a long time, Ja'vassa was truly happy thanks to the girl in his arms.


	8. A Tactician's Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ja'vassa and Nowi aren't the only ones tying the knot, the army's tactician and certain princess have also become rather inseparable with each other.

Around this time of day, Robin would normally be with Chrom and other leaders in the planning room tinkering around with various documents and books all in the hopes of creating an incredible strategy that would no doubt stump and decimate their enemies, but now that the war with Plegia was but a distant memory and now, his work was more or less over. Beyond trying to help those who had been impacted by the battle, there wasn't much he could do. As he wandered with Chrom and several others in the hopes of mending the scars of war, he had found himself growing particularly close to Princess Lissa, having developed a deep love for her, though considering she was the princess and that her older brother was the soon to be Exalt, he didn't want to risk offending them for obvious reasons. There was no doubt they wouldn't hurt him, but spending life in prison wasn't exactly something he really cared to do either.

Currently, he was busy helping Lissa and a few other Shepherds with plans to help rebuild a nearby village, though admittedly rather than paying attention to his plans, he had found himself occasionally glancing at the object of his affection. Unknown to him, Princess Lissa had secretly harbored a love for Robin, but a slight fear of losing his friendship kept her from confessing to the tactician. While their feelings were unknown to each other, it was painfully obvious to almost everyone else in the room; Prince Chrom was among those that were aware of their feelings. Lissa and Robin have been major contributors to the Shepherds in many ways; the princess was responsible for healing many after the hard battles and her skill in magic was nothing to scoff at either, while the tactician was responsible for, well, coming up with many of the ingenious strategies the Shepherds have used in their many battles. Partially because of this, the two of them had managed to spend plenty of time together, so understandably, they'd develop a close bond.

Unsure of how to go about confessing, the two of them had decided to confide in the group's latest sweethearts; Ja'vassa and Nowi. Lissa had gone to visit the Khajiit to talk with him while Robin went to speak with the manakete. "Hey, uh.. Ja'vassa?" Lissa started, entering his tent. "I'm not interrupting you, am I?" She asked, sitting across from his stack of books. Looking up from the one he was currently reading, the Dragonborn shook his head. "You're fine, what can I help you with, milady?" He asked, his tone carrying the same soft, serious sound to it. She took a deep breath, hoping he was the right person to talk to. Thus far, Ja'vassa appeared to be pretty knowledgable in plenty of fields, so maybe romance was among them. "You and Nowi are pretty close, right? I was.. I was wondering how you went about confessing to her." The princess asked, fiddling with her fingers as she spoke. Unable to help it, Ja'vassa laughed softly, offering her a soft smile.

"I do love Nowi a lot.. we had only known each other for a brief couple weeks before I finally worked up the courage to tell her." The vampire started, leaning back. "I've.. I've never been good at romance, but I figured, if I didn't get it off my chest as soon as possible, I'd come to regret it later on. Someone else might've swooped down at the opportunity had I hesitated any longer than I did. If you truly feel like you love the person you're hoping to confess to, you'll know. Trust your heart, it often won't misguide you in situations like these." He explained, sighing softly. Lissa nodded at him, a smile crossing her face as she slowly returned to her feet. "Thank you, Ja'vassa.. I only hope that you'll attend our wedding in the future." She said, bowing softly.

Meanwhile, Robin had just joined up with Nowi as she was exiting the mess hall. "Oh! Robin, fancy meeting you here!" The manakete greeted in her usual happy, almost sickeningly cheerful tone. "Why the puzzled expression? Are you working on a difficult puzzle or something?" In response to that, Robin had just shook his head. "Oh, um.. not quite. I wanted to talk to you, actually." He stated, sitting down on a nearby log, patting a spot near him. Without even hesitating, Nowi quickly plopped down beside him. "What's up? Normally you'd head off to Chrom with that puzzled expression." She teased, inciting a laugh from the tactician. "I know, but I don't think he's all that great with romance." Robin responded, pausing for a brief moment.

He knew full well that he could've just gone to Lissa, but he just wanted to be sure this was right. "Well, I, uh.. have fallen in love with Lissa.. and I mean, it's not just your petty crush, but I seriously want to be with her, maybe start a family with her, y'know?" Robin admitted, his voice stumbling around a bit. This received a brief giggle from Nowi as one would expect, "Looking to become the future prince of Ylisse, Robin?" She teased, but her tone quickly shifted into something a bit more serious as she spoke up again. "Ja'vassa had confessed to me first.. he was a bit nervous, but straightforward with me. He didn't hold anything back and just said the words that every girl... no, everyone is dying to hear. He just said he loved me and that was that. I'm much happier now and I'm sure Lissa will be happy too. You're a good man that anyone would be lucky to have."

A light blush dusted his cheeks at what she said, but nonetheless a smile crossed his face as he stood up. "Thank you, Nowi.. that means a lot to me." Robin said, going to find Lissa. Coincidentally, his love interest was searching for him. With the tactician lost in thought and the princess distracted, they had unintentionally bumped into each other; Robin fell back with Lissa falling on top of him. "Ow..." Robin muttered, rubbing his head. "Oh! Lissa! I-I'm so sorry!" He quickly apologized, internally cursing himself. _'Idiot! That's not gonna make a good impression!'_ He screamed internally, but would soon find himself in an awkward position. Lissa sat on, remaining on his lap as she smiled at him. "Robin! Just the person I was looking for, I needed to talk to you!" She said excitedly, not even bothering to move. At first, he was just too confused and perhaps a little embarrassed to be in such a position, especially in such a public place. "Really? I needed to speak with you too." He managed to spit out.

"Let's say it at the same time." Lissa suggested. "On the count of the three."

 ** _"One..."_** They said in near perfect unison.

**_"Two..."_ **

**_"Three..."_ **

**_"I love you, Lissa!"_** Robin confessed.

 ** _"I love you, Robin!"_** Lissa echoed.

As they heard each other's words, it was as if the world around them had come to a standstill. The murmurs of the crowd around them fell upon deaf ears as the duo stared at each other in obvious surprise. The feelings they held for each other were almost painfully obvious for anyone else, yet they wouldn't have known until they said something. Once the realization set in, deep blushes painted their cheeks as the smiles set in. Without saying a word, Lissa had tackled her newfound lover in a tight, death grip of a hug and was quick to share her first kiss with the tactician. Though both the hug and kiss were unexpected, Robin didn't hesitate to return them. Their eyes sealed shut, their lips locked onto each other, it was enough confirmation for both of them that this wasn't just a dream, the feelings they shared were real and that it seemed they would be starting a new life together soon enough. A few moments had passed before they finally broke away from the deep, loving kiss. For several minutes, they just stared into each other's eyes, not saying a word.

After what seemed like an eternity had passed by, the two returned to their feet and quickly dusted themselves off. "Oh, Lissa.. Thank you." Robin said softly, intertwining his fingers with hers. "I don't how many years I have left, but I hope I get to spend the remaining years with you, however many there might be." He gave her hand a soft, affectionate squeeze as she nodded. "I wish for the same, Robin. Perhaps we'll be able to officially start our life together soon." After Lissa finished speaking, she had gone in for another kiss, clearly quite happy at the moment. Satisfied with the confession.. and the kiss, the two had parted ways to go thank the ones they talked with, believing their words had a part to play in their newfound relationship.


	9. Invaders from the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mad King might be dead, but that doesn't mean Ylisse is totally safe from invaders beyond their shorelines.

It's been nearly two years since the war with Plegia had come to a close and things had quieted down. Chrom had settled down with Sumia who would soon give birth to their first child, a girl by the name of Lucina. Unfortunately for the new family, they wouldn't be given much of a chance to really spend time with their daughter as a new threat would arise. After receiving a frantic message from a Feroxi courier; the Shepherds would once again mobilize, heading out to the Feroxi border in order to help stop an attack on Port Ferox. They had fortunately arrived right on time as it seemed the battle hadn't gotten too far yet. A number of foreign ships were docked near the port; none seemed to be of Plegian origin, so at least that was a promising sign. Once arriving, the group was able to overhear the enemy captain's orders.

"Listen well, villagers!" Dalton suggested, slamming his spear down. "My Lord, Emperor Walhart himself claims these lands in the name of the Valmese Empire! If you wish to keep your lives, I would suggest you follow these orders! You will grant the Conqueror your ships, all your possessions, your undying loyalty, and this land's greatest treasure; the Fire Emblem! Do these and your lives shall be spared, refuse and watch as we cut you down." His stern tone transitioned into a more annoyed, angry one as a villager boarded his ship. "Who are you to step foot on my ship, peasant?" He asked, raising his spear. The villager gulped, his legs wildly shaking. "I-If you take all that we own, how will we live? Take away our ships and gold, and people will starve! Would you have your people die?" He asked, though he'd soon regret this question as Dalton hadn't hesitated to skewer him. "Hmph.. you'll survive for now." He replied, watching the helpless village die.

Chrom and Robin shared a brief glance between each other. "Seems these guys won't listen to reason.. Shepherds, to arms!" Chrom ordered, unsheathing Falchion. Frederick seemed as wary as always, "Are you sure, milord? Another war already?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Chrom was silent for a few moments as he thought about it, nodding. "Yes... I believe it's our duty for Ylisse to stand against injustice and evil, if we fail, true peace will never be achieved." He explained, nodding again. "Regardless, let's worry about this after the battle, Frederick. We need to save as many of the villagers as possible." This got the stern knight to agree, raising his lance. On cue, the others of the army prepared themselves for battle as well; it seemed all of their preparations got the attention of another warrior. "Perhaps I could join you and Virion?" The wyvern rider asked. "Ferox may not be my home, but this is my cause." Chrom nodded at her, figuring that if Virion trusted her, then she'd be fine.

Mere moments after Cherche's arrival, the Shepherds finally engaged with the invaders. "Ja'vassa! You should take a small group and attack the ships. With your Shouts, you should be able to clear the ship. The others and I will help protect the villagers down here" Robin suggested, offering the Khajiit a confident smile. Ja'vassa nodded at him, soon deciding to use both Harkon's sword and Dragonbane. Nowi, Stahl, Cherche, Virion, and Olivia had joined the Khajiit. Like most other battles, Ja'vassa had no trouble mowing down those in front of him, the others more or less served as support, they'd take care of anyone he missed. Occasionally, they'd look behind them to ensure that Robin was doing as he said. Everything so far was going according to plan. Once at the captain's boat, Ja'vassa turned to the others. "You go back and help Robin's group. It seems they're still having trouble. I'm imagining the enemy troops will scatter if we defeat their captain." He suggested to them, his eyes remaining on the guards standing on the ship's entrance. Nowi gulped slightly at the order from him, "Fine.. but, you had better come out of there alive, Java." She ordered back, receiving a nod from her husband. "Of course, I'm Dragonborn, Nowi. A few soldiers won't be enough to take me out." He assured her, sharing a brief kiss with her before going to do just as he said he was going to do.

Still on the docks, Ja'vassa grinned. "Unfortunately for our friends here, they chose the wrong army to fight." He figured he'd need a little help from someone else; in one hand, he readied a Conjure Dremora Lord spell, though before casting it, he'd use the Summon Durnehviir shout. _"Durnehviir!"_ He shouted, with the decaying dragon soon materializing from the ground. The sudden appearance of the grotesque, massive dragon effectively brought the battle to a standstill as ally and enemy alike watched in surprise. A loud roar left the undead dragon as he looked around. "This.. this isn't Tamriel.. where are we, Qahnaarin?" Durnehviir asked in obvious confusion. "I'll explain later, just help us destroy the soldiers in red." The Khajiit responded, with the dragon soon taking off. Once the dragon was in the air, Ja'vassa summoned the Dremora Lord through his Twin Souls ability. "Dremora, help me with this ship." He ordered the Daedra. 

Durnehviir would return to the port, using his Soul Cairn Summon shout, he'd enlist additional help for Chrom's side. _"Diil.. Qoth Zaam!"_ He shouted, raining down an array of violet mist, with the mist soon turning into a number of undead warriors. Chrom had eventually snapped out of his surprise, "Shepherds! We've got additional aid, continue fighting as you normally would!" Back aboard the ship, Ja'vassa's Dremora was making quick work of the grunts while the Khajiit approached Dalton, his swords raised. "You came here so sure you'd wipe out this unfortunate village, but it seems the tides have turned, no?" Ja'vassa taunted, pointing Dragonbane towards the captain. Dalton was silent briefly, "Just what in the hell are you? Such strength.. not to mention summoning these monsters.." He said, watching as the Dremora had faded away. "I sincerely doubt the rest of your allies would even be necessary at this point."

Ja'vassa kept a rather confident, sly smirk on his face. "Perhaps not, but even for as powerful as I am, I wouldn't have been able to rescue the villagers like they have. Enough with the chatter, it's time for us to do battle, friend." He reminded him, soon engaging the captain in a fight. Swords clashed against Dalton's spear, though much like what he had displayed against the other guards, Dalton's abilities just wouldn't be enough to overcome Ja'vassa's. He would quickly be cut down and cast aside. After finishing off with the ship, he would rejoin his allies in the fight on land. Fortunately for them, the fall of Dalton and not to mention them being extremely mismatched, the remaining enemy soldiers were wise enough to return to their ships and flee. Normally, Ja'vassa would've had Durnehviir chase them, but it wasn't worth it. Now that the battle was over, the undead dragon landed besides the Dragonborn. "Will you explain now? Where have we wound up, Dovahkiin?" He asked, receiving a shrug. "We're no longer in Tamriel, rather we're in Ferox.. I'll try to explain more later, for now, return to the Soul Cairn." Ja'vassa said, watching as Durnehviir disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

Robin and Chrom quickly approached the Dragonborn, glad the battle was over. "You know, I'm glad you're on our side, Ja'vassa.. watching the dragon appear out of nowhere was incredible." The Prince said, sheathing his blade. "Thanks to you and your allies, we've won the day.." Basilio and Flavia would soon join the trio in their discussion. "We've won today's battle, but unfortunately the town and my army are in shambles now.. and this was but a taste of what's to come." Flavia said, sighing a little. Robin bit his lip in response to that. "If the Feroxis are having trouble, then we're all in trouble.. and now we need to figure out how to continue the fight. Neither Regna Ferox or Ylisse are well equipped for naval battles, unless...." He paused, rubbing his chin.

"What's on your mind, Robin?" Chrom asked, looking a little nervous. "Perhaps we could enlist help from Plegia?" The tactician suggested, though almost immediately it was shot down. "No, no, no. Absolutely not." Chrom argued, but before he could bring the argument any further, Basilio would intervene. "Think about it, boy, Plegia has countless ships and plenty of gold... and as much as you don't want to admit it, we've got no chance without them." He informed him; Robin, Flavia, and Ja'vassa all nodded in agreement with the Khan. Chrom clenched his fists as he ran numerous thoughts through his head. He knew they were right, but he just couldn't stomach the thought of working with the nation that had been the source of much of his hatred over the past few years. Reluctantly, he would nod at them. "You're... you're right. Dispatch a messenger and request an summit immediately. I just pray Gangrel's replacement isn't as bad." Once again, the others would nod in agreement. Now that the battle had been over, the group had set up camp just outside the village, preparing for their next move.

At the campfire, Chrom, Robin, and the Khans would quietly discuss things between each other. "You know, Robin, you and Chrom have shown considerable growth from when we first met. Considering today was your first battle against the Valmese, I'm impressed." Flavia admitted, offering the two a smile. The tactician returned the smile, "Well.. we did have some incredible help today, but nonetheless the words are appreciated." He replied. The night would continue like this for the next couple hours before they decided it'd be best to retire to their tents for the night.


	10. Robin and the Doppleganger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strangely enough, the war with the Valmese Empire was perhaps the most normal thing to have happened recently, especially for RObin.

Now that the first battle with the Valmese forces was done and over with, the new Plegian king had quickly answered their summons. Without much hesitation, Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds made their way to the Carrion Isle, unsure of what to expect. Right off the bat, they were given an unexpected shock with the arrival of the king's advisor. Chrom's eyes widened as he watched her approach. "Aversa! What are you doing here?" He asked, confused and slightly concerned at this point. The scantily clad mage bowed towards the Prince. "I couldn't tell you, it seems my destiny has a strange course." She replied, her tone remaining as sultry and seductive as it always was. "My lord will be here shortly.. you had arrived a tad sooner than we had expected."

As if on cue, the new king had arrived. His appearance did nothing to help Chrom's confusion, though now Robin was also very concerned. "Ah, it's an honor to finally meet with you, Prince Chrom.. I am Validar, king of Plegia." He greeted, bowing slightly. "It's a pleasure, sir.." Chrom replied, pausing to study Validar. "Is.. is it possible we might've met before?" He asked, a bit confused as to why the king looks like the person who attempted to assassinate Emmeryn not too long ago. He would lean over to Robin, "You don't think he's the same person, do you?" He whispered, receiving a confused shrug. "I.. I don't know.. the resemblance is frightening. Maybe he's somehow related to the assassin?" Robin whispered in return. Validar and Aversa had risen their brows, watching the two converse in secret.

"You must be Robin, correct? Ylisse's brilliant strategist if I'm not mistaken?" Validar asked, receiving a wary nod from the tactician. "That's correct, though I'm surprised you know of me.." Robin admitted, rubbing the back of his head. Everything was getting to be a bit overwhelming. The assassin they supposedly killed now has a doppleganger who just happens to be king, not to mention Gangrel's old tactician was still alive and well. "Of course, tales of your exploits have reached far across the world. It's not hard to see the wisdom in your eyes." Validar confirmed, nodding. "Now.. if these introductions are out of the way, I do believe these negotiations are in order. Unfortunately, Plegia can't offer any soldiers as the previous war has left my army dry, but we can offer over 800 warships, 200 transports, and enough gold to fully fund the war. I trust this will suffice?" He offered, though this received a relatively surprised look from Chrom's group.

"Uh, yeah.. that's surprisingly generous. We appreciate such a kind gesture." The prince nodded, smiling slightly. "If we're done here, I need to get my men back to Port Ferox and prepare for the battle. Thank you, King Validar." He added, turning to leave. "Oh, but before you leave, I do have one more person I'd like you to meet." The king said, causing the group to stop, looking in curiosity. "This is a hierophant, the highest of his order." He added, motioning towards a robed figure approaching the group. Frederick spoke up, "With all due respect, I would ask that you lower your hood, friend. It's a common formality in Ylisse when confronted with royalty." He suggested.

The hooded figure nodded, "You're no longer in Ylisse, but I'll oblige." He responded, removing the hood. Almost immediately, this silenced the group. For whatever reason, this man had completely resembled Robin in every way. His hair, eyes, mouth, ears... all of it was perfectly identical to the tactician's. "My name is Robin.. though it is interesting to think that your name is also Robin, tactician." He said, bowing to properly greet his king's guests.

"Why.. why do you look like me?" Robin asked, staring at the hierophant. Validar looked towards the lookalikes, "What an odd coincidence.. but, there will be time to discuss this after the war. You should prepare for the coming battle." Validar suggested, quickly being interrupted by Chrom. "What is the meaning of this? Why do they look alike?" He asked frantically, though he wouldn't receive an answer from any of them. "Unfortunately, we haven't the time to discuss this. You need to prepare for the war in Valm while we need to prepare our aid. Do be careful on your way to Port Ferox, the roads of Plegia can be dangerous this time of year.." Aversa said as the Ylisseans left. Understandably, the group was relatively shaken up from the day's events, especially Robin who was still trying to figure out why he and the hierophant looked exactly alike.

The tactician wouldn't have the chance to dwell on it much longer, as a sudden pressure builds up in his head. "Listen to me, Robin.. listen to me.." An unknown voice echoed, causing the panicked Robin to look around frantically. "What was that?" He asked, breathing heavily. "Heed my call." The voice echoed again; Robin breathed heavily, frantically looking in every direction. With a bright flash of light, the king of Plegia appeared. "You truly don't remember, do you, Robin?" Validar asked the pained tactician. Robin glared towards him, "You... you! Get out of my head!" He demanded, still clutching onto his throbbing head. Validar laughed softly, watching the scene with mild amusement. "Such insolence.. to think you'd take such a disrespectful tone with your own father. I would've figured that prince would've taught you more respect." He scolded, another laugh escaping his lips.

Still in pain, Robin stared at him in confusion. "My... father? I.. I don't understand." He stuttered, his lips quivering slightly. The pain, the confusion, the fear was all a bit too overwhelming for him. "Yes, my son.. we share the same flesh, but you are of sacred blood. You are to serve a greater destiny, far greater than you would've ever imagined. Do not waste your time with these pathetic servants of Naga. Your place is at my side, your place is to serve Grima and join with his strength." Before Validar could say anything else, Chrom had interrupted with the king making a hasty exit. "Robin? You alright? I heard shouting, what's wrong?" He asked, looking rather concerned.

With Validar gone, the voice in Robin's head finally stopped pounding. He breathed deeply, and shrugged towards Chrom. "I.. I don't know. I think I'm okay?" He questioned, "Validar... he just.. he just claimed to be my father. I don't know if he was telling the truth, but.. it didn't seem like he was lying to me." He explained, rubbing the back of his head. Chrom nodded, bringing the confused tactician back to their campsite. "Let's head back to camp and see if we can't get some rest. We'll need it." Robin nodded in agreement, following behind Chrom.


	11. The Enigmatic Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The oddities simply won't stop coming, a strange, yet oddly familiar woman comes to the prince's rescue.

"Milord!" Frederick called out, running up to the returning prince and tactician. "I have dire news. Risen have surrounded the camp.. it's as if someone's commanding them. They approached stealthily, unlike anything we've witnessed so far." His tone was as serious as always, but this time with laced with a panicked sound. Chrom and Robin nodded, but were obviously unnerved by this as well. "Validar... no doubt he intends to take Robin hostage." Chrom said, drawing his blade. "Frederick, gather our troops and make sure they're equipped and ready for a fight." He ordered, soon returning to the campsite. Just moments after arriving, they had been met with yet another surprise. Out of nowhere, a flock of crows had appeared, hiding a strange boy. "What? Where did these birds come from?" Chrom asked, slightly annoyed by yet another distraction. Surprisingly jovial laughs could be heard from within the cloud of birds. "What's wrong? There's no need to CAWS such a ruckus, friends." A boy said, giggling again. "Oh, how I slay myself!"

"That's if the Risen don't do it first. This is no time for jokes, boy. Get out of here!" Chrom suggested, still annoyed by this. "Wait! I wanna join your CAWS... I mean, I wanna help! I know magic and I've got a thing for killing things." The mage assured him, with the crows leaving his vicinity. "A Plegian dark mage? Why would you help us?" The prince asked, understandably a little suspicious considering the king had likely sent a horde of the undead. Henry shrugged at him, that smile never leaving his face. "Dunno.. let's just say I'm hoping to change things up a little bit. Like I said before, I've got a thing for murder and stuff.. seems to be a thing among comedians." Now that his allegiance had been sealed, the battle would begin. Robin studied the various Risen, figuring out his battle tactics.

"Chrom! Go with Sumia, make your way up the bridge! I believe their commander is up there!" Robin suggested, having since readied his steel sword. Chrom nodded, climbing onto Sumia's mount. "The rest of us will make sure none of the grunts reach you. If you kill the commander, I'm sure the rest will go with it." And with that, the husband and wife duo would quickly make their way to the bridge, fighting whatever came their way. Down on the ground, Robin had since split the army into three factions; he led one group, Ja'vassa led another, while Frederick led the last. With Robin and Frederick taking the eastern and western sides respectively, Ja'vassa remained in the center. Unfortunately, he didn't have much of a chance to summon Durnehviir like he had hoped, instead he had to rely on a pair of Flame Thralls to aid his group. The battle went by rather quickly; Chrom and Sumia had quickly dispatched the commander, and as Robin predicted, the lesser Risen had died along with their leader.

With the battle over with, Chrom and Robin had decided to do a bit of talking before they'd get back on the road again. Their discussion would be cut short by the sudden appearance of another Risen, one who was quick to rush at Chrom. Given the suddenness of the assassin's appearance, they had little time to react. Though, just as unexpectedly as the assassin appeared, Chrom's savior would also appear. "Father!" A woman's voice said, jumping in front of Chrom to parry what would've been a killing blow. With the attack foiled, the Risen had quickly disappeared, though things hadn't quite yet returned to normal. "Um.. Marth? You mind explaining to me why you, uh... called me father?" Chrom asked, raising his eyebrow. Marth gulped slightly, biting her lip. "I suppose I owe you an explanation, don't I?" She asked, "Though, I'll need to speak with you privately.

After a few moments, Robin had led the other Shepherds back to the camp while Chrom and Marth made their way to the nearby forest. "I'm assuming now your name really isn't Marth, but I'm not sure what else to call you. You've done so much for Ylisse.. you've saved my life, and saved plenty of others. I won't pry, but know I'm in your debt." The prince said, smiling towards her. Marth returned the smile, though her face quickly became far more serious. "I.. I don't even know where to start.. but, I want you to know the truth. Look into my eyes, Chrom and it'll start to make some sense, or at least I hope it will." She suggested. Chrom did as suggested, staring into her eyes. At first, he was a little confused, but once he noticed it, his eyes widened in shock. "That's... that's the Brand of the Exalt.." Though clearly still confused about the whole thing, it had become clear to him. "Lucina... I'm sorry, you deserved better from me than one sword and a world of troubles." He spoke in a soft, gentle tone as he reached out to wipe the tears spilling down Lucina's cheeks.

Unable to help it, the girl rushed into Chrom's arms, sobbing softly. "Oh, father.." She whimpered, though Chrom remained quiet as he gently held her, just hoping she'd let it out. Moments would go by and finally, her tears would dry up just in time as Robin had come by in the hopes of letting them know the army was ready to mobilize. "I can't say I expected to find you two in each other's arms.. this is how rumors are born." The tactician said blankly, unaware of what had just happened. In the background, Sumia had been plucking petals off a number of flowers in a frantic manner. _"He loves me... he loves me not.. he loves me..."_ She muttered, looking to be on the verge of tears.

"Sumia? Is everything alright?" Chrom asked, watching as his wife plucked the many flowers. She stared at him, forcing the tears back. "Oh, it's nothing.. I just find my loving husband with some beautiful woman in his arms, sobbing.." Sumia grumbled, having since stopped destroying the plants. Lucina and Chrom shared a glance, laughing softly. "I think I'll let you do the honors, Lucina." He suggested.

Sumia's slightly upset look turned into a confused manner. "Lucina..? That's our daughter's name?" She questioned, tilting her head. The blue haired woman had approached, "Look into my eyes, Sumia." Lucina said, though this didn't help her mother's confusion in the slightest, if anything, it only made it worse. "You have it? But.. it's.. the same as our child?" The pegasus rider paused, "What happened to our child? Is she alright?" She asked frantically, trying his best not to panic completely.

"Peace, Sumia. Our child is perfectly fine, right where we left her. This Lucina came from the future." Chrom explained; though the explanation seemed sufficient enough, both Sumia and Robin were understandably confused by this whole thing. "If you don't mind, I'll try to explain what I'm doing here." Lucina said, taking a seat nearby. She was silent briefly as she searched for the words she wanted, and once she found them, the story began.

_Ylisstol is burning, civilians and soldiers alike cut down mercilessly by hordes of Risen. Inside the palace was no better, guards and soldiers did their best to fight back against their undead enemies, but there was no telling how long the battle would end. Sword clashed with sword, blood decorated the palace floor like a new coat of paint. A gruesome sight for anyone to behold. It seemed hopeless, as one soldier had been pinned to a wall, seemingly being inspected by one of their enemies. Fortunately for her, Lucina had shown up just in time to stop the monster from killing the soldier. "We can't let these things win!" She shouted, raising her blade. "Pick up a weapon and fight... fight until the bitter end!" With those final words, she'd continue her endless battle, slaughtering as many of the Risen as she could._

With the brief story ending, she sighed and looked towards her audience, each had varying degrees of horror etched onto their faces, unable to believe what had happened to her. "So.. you're saying you came to prevent that?" Robin asked, just wanting to ensure that he heard right. Lucina nodded towards him, standing back up. "Yes.. and now that it's no longer a secret, I want to join the Shepherds. I'm not sure how long I'll be here, but I just want to spend time with father and maybe save the world as well." She looked to her father for approval who had nodded in response. "After seeing your skills, we'd be stupid to decline. You're in.. let's make our way for Port Ferox and prepare to leave for Valm." Chrom suggested, heading back for the camp with the other three close behind him.


	12. Our Future Children - The Lost Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following Lucina's arrival, the Shepherds discover the whereabouts of another future child, this one being especially close to the manakete and Dragonborn.

While the war in Valm was indeed an important thing to focus on, Lucina had informed the group that hadn't returned to the past alone; other children joined her, but unfortunately wound up getting separated during the journey. Among these children happened to be the future daughter of Nowi and Ja'vassa; this came as a shock to the Khajiit, as he wasn't even aware of the fact that he'd even be able to produce a child, not that he'd complain. He just worried about losing her like he lost Kisavi all those years ago. After arriving in the Manor of Lost Souls, they had found it was overrun with hordes of Risen.

Just like they would anywhere else, they had split into groups and prepared for battle. Ja'vassa and Nowi were as usual paired together, thanks to their combination of magic and strength, they were able to decimate the unfortunate Risen that dared to stand against them. The Shepherds weren't far behind, easily dispatching those the Dragonborn and manakete missed. "Hey, Nowi! I think I've found the kid!" Ja'vassa shouted, having since sheathed his blades before he'd approach the child. Likely out of fear or confusion, she had launched a ball of ice at Ja'vassa, just barely missing the Khajiit. "Whoa, there! Hold your fire! I'm on your side!" He assured her, using a ward to block her next attack. Hearing the words from him caused the child to morph back into her human-like form. "O-Oh? Really? I'm glad.. otherwise I would've had to kill you." She said, her tone laced with a mixture of fear and relief. As the Khajiit approached her, he sighed in relief. "We're here to get you out of here." Ja'vassa started, watching as Nowi guarded the door. "Do you have a name, little one?" He asked.

"Nah." The girl replied, receiving a confused look from the Khajiit. "Surely you've got to have a name, right?" He asked again, raising his eyebrow. In response to this, the child released an exasperated sigh. "Nah.. N-A-H, Nah." She huffed, puffing up her cheeks slightly. Ja'vassa, the normally intelligent Khajiit blinked in confusion. "That's an... odd name." He admitted, receiving yet another exasperated sigh from the girl. "And who's fault do you think that is?" She retorted, receiving a shrug from Ja'vassa. "How should I know?" He asked in response, "Anyways.. although this is a lovely conversation, we should probably worry about that after we get you out of here. Now, come on." He suggested, soon drawing Harkon's sword again along with a Fireball spell in the other hand. Nah nodded in response, "Lead the way, sir..." Her tone no longer sounded as annoyed, but it held a more relieved ring to it as she finally had some help getting out of the place.

The remainder of the battle would go about as expected, the Shepherds cut down any remaining Risen that stood in their way while Ja'vassa would occasionally break into any chests or doors that stood in their way. Little by little, the group pushed forward and was eventually able to not only wipe out the remaining Risen, but they had also managed to escape the now crumbling ruins. With everyone out and the enemies dealt with, the group returned to camp with Nowi, Ja'vassa, and Nah deciding to relax together. As they had returned to the campsite together, the loving couple had learned that she was actually their daughter from a future timeline. Though clearly confused by this revelation, they ended up believing her. It was obviously a lot to take in, but this just gave them more to talk about now that they've returned to camp.

Like always, Nowi had taken her seat on Ja'vassa's lap as Nah sat beside him. The child looked up to her father, "You know, I was told that you came from a different world than we did.. Can I ask about your world, maybe your family back home? Or maybe any old lovers?" Nah had innumerable questions, but chose to only ask a few as to not annoy him. Nowi smiled, "You know, you've not told me much about your past either.. I'd very much like to know." She chimed in, nuzzling her husband.

Ja'vassa sighed softly, "My homeland, eh? I was born in the province of Elsweyr.. a land of deserts, rocky canyons, and dense jungles, where the sun shines warmly." He started, a nostalgic smile growing on his face. "Though, I was mostly raised in Skyrim, a province far to the north.. unlike the warm and inviting Elsweyr, the province was cold and harsh, the wind blew bitter cold often, but it helps the fur grow thicker." He sighed softly, "Skyrim was not kind to my people, but the hardships endured in the frozen province have helped me become the person I am now. I made some terrible mistakes.. I've done and seen things many people could only dream of.. I've saved lives and I've ruined lives, and you know what? I wouldn't change a thing.. especially now that I've got a family again." He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Nowi's head, the smile never leaving his face.

The manaketes smiled at him, though Nowi's cheeks were dusted with a light blush. "What about your family back home, father? Won't they miss you?" Nah asked, though her smile faltered as Ja'vassa's faltered. "I.. I don't have any family waiting for me back in Skyrim. My sister, daughter, and wife had all been killed and I couldn't tell you if my parents or older brother are still alive.. haven't seen any of them in years." He said, sighing softly. "Though, if it weren't for the disappearance of my family or the death of my sister, I don't think I'd be where I am now. It was because of her death that I discovered I was Dragonborn.. that I made all those mistakes, saved all those lives, and ultimately the reason I ended finding Nowi." He paused, gently stroking his wife's hair, trying his best to keep those tears back. He had already sobbed over Nowi's shoulder once, he didn't want to do it again.

Nowi would speak up, "I didn't realize you had a child before.. mind if I ask what she was like?" She asked softly, receiving a nod from Ja'vassa. "Kisavi was a sweet little Khajiit.. like her mother, she was sweet and full of energy. She inherited my family's affinity for magic and was well on her way to becoming one of Tamriel's greatest mages. Unfortunately, during much of her life I was infrequently fighting with a group known as the Dawnguard. Being unable to kill me, they went after my much more vulnerable daughter.. they struck her down with a well aimed crossbow bolt in the hopes that it'd break my spirit, making me far more vulnerable in the process, but ultimately it backfired. In... my rage, I wound up tearing their old fort down, slaughtering every last person in their hideout." He explained, brushing his face again. "I've killed.. I've killed so many people in my life that murder has effectively become second nature. Thousands upon thousands have met their end upon my claws, some of them were actually terrible people." Despite his best efforts, the tears returned and slowly slid down his cheeks. "I know you've said otherwise, but I worry that I've disappointed my family. My mother and father did their best to ensure I followed a just path in life, but.. but I.. I failed them."

The mother and daughter shared a brief glance between each other before they both wrapped Ja'vassa in a tight hug. "I know it's hard to believe it, Java, but you've done an incredible job despite the hardships you've faced.. you've lost so much, been through so much, yet you've stood up and kept moving every time. You may have ruined lives, but you've also saved just as many." Nowi said, cupping his cheeks. "Just look at what you've done since arriving in this world.. you saved my life.. as well as everyone else's on the battlefield that day. You saved Nah's life.. you snapped Chrom out of his slump and helped us win that battle in Plegia. They would be proud of what you've become, they'd be proud of how strong you've become." She assured him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You've been strong for everyone else, you've been strong for too long. Both Nah and I are here if you ever need to cry." She said, falling silent as Nah rested her head on Ja'vassa's free shoulder. "We'll always be here, father." This didn't help Ja'vassa's reluctance to cry; their warm touch, their kind words, and their promises of love have been things the Khajiit's been craving since he lost his wife and daughter.

Unable to help it any longer, his tears rolled down his cheeks as he held his new family close to him. The tears were a mixture of sorrow and joy; he deeply missed his old family, but he was beyond grateful for his new family. Nah and Nowi filled the void in his heart, something he's been trying to do for so long. Several minutes would pass before his tears had dried up. "Thank you, Nowi. Thank you, Nah.. I love you both very much.. I promise to always protect both of you, no matter what happens." His tone was soft, but sincere. The girls smiled, hugging him tighter. "So, uh, father.. Can I ask why you ended up marrying my mother?" Nah asked, hoping to change the topic into something a little more light hearted. "It's obvious you two are very close with each other, so I'm just curious as to how it happened." She added, taking her place on her father's lap, right next to her mother.

"Well... where to start?" Ja'vassa asked himself, shrugging. "Your mother's personality is what drew me in at first. She might be a little... too energetic sometimes, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find it charming. Not to mention just how sweet she is. It was strange, I felt a comforting presence from the moment I laid eyes on her, I hadn't felt something like that around anyone since Serana." He admitted, smiling towards Nowi, though Nowi's smile transitioned into a curious look. "Who's Serana? Was she an old lover of yours?" She asked.

Ja'vassa shook his head, "Nope.. she's a very close friend of mine, one of my fellow Volkihar Vampires and for the longest time, one of my adventure partners. Her and I explored pretty much all of Skyrim together until we had split so I could focus on dealing with issues on Solstheim. I had actually proposed to her a while ago, but we both decided that we'd be better off as just friends. Fortunately, my proposal didn't really impact our relationship. Up until I met you, she was the only person I had trusted completely. If not for her by my side, there would've been several moments I likely would've been killed. I only wish she could've joined us here. She would've enjoyed this place, I think." His saddened smile was replaced by another nostalgic smile as he spoke. "She was the last person I held any romantic interest up until I met Nowi."

This seemed to be a satisfying answer for both manakete as they once again cuddled close to the Khajiit. "You'll have to tell me all about your adventures in Skyrim, father.. I want to know everything!" Nah said excitedly. Unable to help it, Ja'vassa laughed and nodded, "Right.. for now, just get some sleep, sweetheart. It's getting late." He suggested, gently brushing his daughter's cheek. "We'll have plenty of time for more stories tomorrow, I promise." Though Nah was a little disappointed, she nodded anyway. "Right.. as soon as we get to breakfast, you'll give me the first story." She confirmed, not wanting to take no for an answer. "Fine, fine.. maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got my mask." Ja'vassa promised, giving her a kiss on the forehead before she'd crawl into their tent, quickly falling asleep.

"Nowi.. thank you for everything." Ja'vassa said, smiling to his wife. "You've.. you've given me so much in the short time we've known each other." He held her close to him, nuzzling her as soft purrs escaped him. "If I were to spend eternity with anyone, I'm glad it's with you." Nowi returned the smile, briefly sharing a kiss with him. "Of course, Java.. you've made me happier than I've been in a long time, and you should know I'm almost never without a smile!" She hugged him again, giggling softly. "Eventually, Hermaeus Mora will call me back to Tamriel.. I do not know when, only that it'll happen in the future.. I was wondering if perhaps you'd be willing to join me there? I don't wish to rip you from the world of your birth, but I don't wish to return home alone." The Khajiit asked, hoping she'd be alright with it. Fortunately for him, he received a nod from his wife. "Of course I'll go with you, silly. No matter where you go, you'll have my smile to keep you happy. Whether it's in this world or another, I'm coming with you." Ja'vassa's smile brightened at her response, "I love you, Nowi." He replied, "Now... let's join our daughter and get some sleep." He suggested, bringing her into their tent. With one more brief kiss between them, the two were happily asleep with Nah cuddled up in between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like in the Elder Scrolls universe, more often than not, the child will take after the mother's race. To reflect this, Nah will of course be a manakete like Nowi, though she does share some traits with her father; his affinity for magic, naturally strong eyesight, smell, and hearing, along with the Night Eye ability.


	13. Our Future Children - The Amnesiac Wanderer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nah and Lucina aren't the only children to join the Shepherds, this time belonging to the group's favorite princess and tactician couple.

Just days had passed since the young manakete had joined with the Shepherds, and recently, the group had heard interesting rumors of a powerful relic of Naga being hidden in some temple in northern Ferox. Believing this might help them in some future wars, Chrom enlisted the group's strongest and headed off for the location. The journey to the ruins were mostly uneventful; there was the occasional bandit that tried to make off with a soldier's coin purse, but even these scuffles ended without any death or much bloodshed. After the lengthy journey was over, it appeared those rumors were indeed true; a divine energy flowed through the area, but unfortunately, it wouldn't be as easy as they hoped. Risen had infested the temple, prompting the group to prepare for battle. However, the Risen wouldn't be the only problem, Ja'vassa had noticed something strange in the distance, his eyes widening as he realized what it was. "Um.. Robin, Chrom." He started, pointing towards what seemed to be a lost child. "A kid's here.. and.. she kind of resembles you." He said to Robin.

"You don't think she was among the group that returned with Lucina, do you?" Robin asked him in response, receiving a nod. "Yeah, she might be. I'd assume she'd be yours and Lissa's daughter." The Khajiit suggested, "But, let's focus on getting your kid to safety before we worry about where she came from." This was a satisfying answer for the recently promoted Grandmaster. The battle had soon commenced with Robin and Ja'vassa making their way towards the child. Their magic combined proved to be an overwhelming combination as they had little trouble breaking past the hordes of Risen. "Are you alright?" Robin asked, rushing to the child while his friend kept the incoming Risen at bay. Rather than looking terrified and nervous, a wide grin crossed the girl's face as she leapt at Robin. "Father! I was beginning to worry that I'd never find you!" She shouted out excitedly.

That had pretty much confirmed Ja'vassa's suspicions, though Robin was still a little confused by it. "I'm gonna assume you came along with Lucina, right? Traveling from the future?" Robin asked, though Morgan tilted her head slightly. "I'm afraid I don't know any Lucina... and I don't think I came from the future? Time travel isn't even possible.. at least I don't think it is." She sighed, "Don't you remember, father? Morgan.. your precious little girl, the love of your life, your little cinnamon roll.. any of that? Hmm.. maybe you're sick. We need to get you to bed." She had grabbed his hand, though Robin only sighed in response.

"I know it's hard to believe, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this myself, but look at me." Robin started, "Do I honestly look old enough to have a child as old as you are?" He asked, the eager smile on Morgan's face fell as she studied him. She didn't want to believe it, but he was right."You.. you do look a little younger, but I..." She paused, growing all the more confused.

"It's gonna take some explaining, but.. let's focus on getting you out of here." Robin suggested, "Just stay close for now." Morgan nodded, following behind him and the Khajiit as they'd work their way back to Chrom and the other Shepherds. Now that Morgan was safe, the battle didn't seem as stressful as the Risen army was quickly decimated by the group's superior strength. The rumors of a relic of Naga being there were true as they had received a special crystal that would greatly increase the user's strength. Now that the battle had been won, the group had returned to their campsite to prepare for the battle with the Valmese forces. Seeing as they had time; Robin, Lissa, and Morgan would retire to their tent to talk a little.

"So, you really don't remember me, Morgan?" Lissa asked, a little saddened that she wouldn't be able to really speak with her own daughter. The child shook her head, "I'm.. I'm afraid not. My memories of father are all vivid and clear, but anything about you or anyone else is just a blank. I'm sorry, mother." She replied, a slightly guilty tone overtaking her voice. As her and Lissa spoke, Robin was lost in thought as he tried to figure out what might've happened to Morgan. "You know.. perhaps what happened in the future and the subsequent time traveling had blocked out most of your memories, maybe to protect you from something." He suggested, reaching over to hug his amnesiac daughter. "Though, try not to stress yourself over remembering too much.. we don't want you hurting yourself. We're just happy you're with us."

Morgan smiled at her parents, nodding in response. "You know.. in the future, you would always tell me stories about a beautiful woman, someone you loved dearly and now, when I look at my mother, I can see why you fell for her." Her statement caused Lissa to blush slightly, though she smiled. Robin laughed and nodded, "She is rather adorable, isn't she? A total sweetheart too." He confirmed, pulling Lissa close to him and their daughter. "I'm just glad no one had the chance to tell her before I did. She's made me quite happy."

Lissa's blush only deepened, "Shut up, Robin.." She mumbled, but cuddled close to him regardless. Their interactions only caused Morgan to giggle. After what she had witnessed in the ruins, this cute and light hearted interaction between her parents was very much appreciated. "Lucina mentioned you had a brother.. do you remember him by any chance?" Lissa asked, her blush quickly disappearing. Morgan had shaken her head as expected, "No.. I don't. Lucina seems to know me well, so I'd assume she's probably right, but there's no telling where he might be right now." She replied, shrugging.

"I suppose we'll figure that out later.. for now, let's get some rest." Robin suggested, giving the two soft kisses on the forehead. "We'll try to worry about your memories later, Morgan." The two nodded, soon laying down with him. Joyed with their new addition, the parents shared a brief kiss before snuggling close to Morgan; the exhaustion from the day's events would soon kick in and they'd find themselves in a peaceful, happy sleep.


	14. Over the Sea and Far Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the battle in Plegia a thing in the past, the Shepherds must now turn their eyes towards what lies beyond the glistening blue waters, unknown to them, a much more terrifying foe awaits them.

Now that three of the future children had joined the Shepherds, the army would resume their campaign against the Valmese Empire. Once at Port Ferox, the allied Ylissean and Feroxi armies had boarded the ships and set sail for the western continent. Robin had taken a deep breath, a wide smile on his face as they had set sail. "Ah... this is incredible.. the view, the smell.. just breathtaking." He said in an unusually excited tone. Ja'vassa had worn an equally excited smile. "I haven't been on a proper boat ride since I last visited Stros M'Kai.." The Khajiit responded, leaning over the side of the boat. Unfortunately, this peace wouldn't last as Frederick would join the group with less than favorable news.

"Our pegasus knights have returned with grave news. The Valmese are making their way here. They've got as many ships as we do, but our ships are only half as full as theirs." The knight explained, keeping his tone as stern as always. This got the rest of the group thinking about what they could do. Flavia was the first to speak up. "We can't just jump aboard their ships, we'd be slaughtered.. we've got plenty of supplies thanks to the Plegians, including plenty of oil.. perhaps someone could find a use for it?" She mused, looking towards Robin. The tactician had rubbed his chin as he tried to figure something out. "Ja'vassa, will you be able to summon that dragon of yours?" He asked, though Ja'vassa only shook his head. "There won't be enough room to summon him.. if I could've brought Odahviing with me, that would've been a different story. The most I can do is summon is a couple Storm or Flame Atronachs right now."

Robin nodded at him, looking towards some of the barrels of oil they had stored. "What if we were to set their ships ablaze?" He asked, receiving bewildered expressions from most of the group. "If we do that, they wouldn't have anywhere to escape..." He would be interrupted by Basilio. "Neither would we, would you have us get caught up in the fire?" He asked; normally he wouldn't question Robin, as he was well aware of how brilliant he was, but this sounded a little too outlandish. "Of course not, but what if we wanted to be caught up?" Robin asked, receiving a more suspicious look from the group. "If those reports were right, we should be able to fit our remaining troops on half of the ships.. they'd never expect any army would be willing to sacrifice half their fleet. Once we've done that, Chrom will lead a group of our strongest and attack the lead ship itself." He explained, though the group was still a little unsure, the explanation was sufficient enough for them.

A few hours had passed and it was finally time for the battle to begin. Chrom's ship had found itself surrounded; three ships to one. This caused the Valmese captain to become slightly enraged. "Do they mean to insult us? Only a single ship against ours? These arrogants pups will soon learn the error of their ways.." Ignatius grumbled, raising his spear. "Men! Prepare yourselves for combat!" He ordered, with his men quickly boarding the Plegian ship. Like the battle at Carrion Isle, the group would be separated in three factions with Ja'vassa, Chrom, and Robin all leading a faction. Ja'vassa's faction was sent to deal with the commander, while the others would hold the Valmese forces off. Like any other battle, Ja'vassa and Nowi would end up fighting side by side. Among their group included Cherche, Virion, Tharja, Henry, Sully, and Stahl; with a group well versed in both close quarters and ranged combat. With the loving couple dealing with the commander, the others would ensure they would be uninterrupted.

"You ready to do this, love?" Ja'vassa asked as he had readied a Bound Sword in one hand and an Icy Spear spell in the other. Nowi offered her husband a grin as she nodded, "Of course I'm ready, Java." She confirmed, grabbing her Dragonstone. The enemy commander scoffed as they had prepared themselves. "Your arrogance will be your downfall, Ylisseans!" Ignatius said, pointing his lance towards the loving couple. "If you truly mean to stand up against the Conqueror, then prove it!" He ordered, soon rushing at them in the hopes of finishing them off in one blow. "Nowi, mind taking care of the little guy?" Ja'vassa asked, deciding to use a Disarm shout on his approaching enemy. _"Zun.. Haal Viik!"_ He shouted, unleashing a blast of purple energy, ripping the spear out Ignatius' hand.

With the spear getting flung into the water, the commander had found himself defenseless as the Khajiit quickly approached. At this point, even his thick armor did little to protect him from the sharp spears of ice shot at him. In the background, Nowi had little trouble dispatching the commander's right hand warrior, while the others of their faction were making quick work of the others on the ship. Eventually, all three factions would come out on top, having wiped out much of the Valmese forces. With the battle effectively won, Robin would now put his plan to action. "Steady..." He said to the captain. "Just a little more..." Robin, and everyone else on the ship braced themselves for the incoming impact.

Within seconds, Robin's ship was on top of a few enemy ships. "Now, jump!" He ordered, quickly making his way off the now flaming boat. On the other boat, they had watched as half of their own and most, if not all of the Valmese fleet had been caught up in the blazing sea. Many of the allied forces, including Robin himself, had watched in surprise to see that this outlandish plan had actually worked. "I can't believe that worked.. the sea itself is on fire!" Lissa squealed, watching with a mixture of excitement and terror. Ja'vassa had laughed, shaking his head. "Robin, you're insane, but you're a genius. No one would've expected anyone to sacrifice half their fleet.. I'd bet either the Stormcloaks or Imperials back home would love to have you with them." Robin smiled towards the Khajiit and Lissa, nodding at what they said.

Chrom would soon join the trio, "Alright.. the true test starts now. We'll be reaching Valm soon. All of you should retire to your quarters and get some rest for now. We'll need everyone to be ready for whatever comes tomorrow." He ordered, watching as they retreated for the night. Ja'vassa and Nowi would join Nah while Robin and Lissa would go and join Morgan, quickly sharing a few words between each other, though rather falling asleep like they had been told, the two had eventually returned to the deck once their daughter had fallen asleep. Ja'vassa leaned over the railing, smiling. "You know.. back when Hermaeus Mora brought me here all those years ago, I had intended to do just as he told me. To study and bring him whatever knowledge he desired, I hadn't intended to make friends.. much less fall in love and marry you. Not that I'm complaining, of course." He reached over to hold his wife's hand, "In Skyrim, people were either afraid of me or looked down upon me, only calling upon me when they needed someone dead, yet.. you and the others have accepted me with open arms."

Nowi giggled as he spoke, practically hopping into his arms. "Since you joined the Shepherds, you've done a lot of good, so what'd you expect? You saved my life, you saved Nah's.. and so many others. We're happy you're here too." She replied, nuzzling the Khajiit. "Ask anyone and they'll say the same thing."

Unable to prevent it, Ja'vassa's smile widened as he cuddled close to Nowi. "The road getting here was bumpy, filled with loss and pain.. yet, I'd go through it a thousand times if it meant being with you.. and being surrounded by the Shepherds. The gods blessed the broken roads that led me straight to you." He said, going in for a quick, brief kiss with her. "Maybe we should get some rest like Chrom suggested.. perhaps we'll have more time to hold each other once this damn war comes to an end." And with that, the two returned to their quarters, laying on either side of their beloved daughter before they'd slowly fall asleep, peaceful looks gracing their faces in spite of the day's events.


	15. Enter Valm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Valmese navy was but a taste of what's to come, Robin's going to have to rely on more than just surprise tactics if he wishes to return to Ylisse with his friends and family.

Not long after the afternoon arrived, the Shepherds and their allies had finally arrived at the Valm Harbor, where as they had expected, a number of enemy soldiers had been at the port, though it didn't seem they were waiting for Chrom's group. Rather, a number of them seemed to be pursuing a girl. Unsure of what to make of it, they had decided that protecting her and the town was their top priority. Quickly leaving the ship, they had joined the battle; this time, they hadn't split up into factions, deciding that remaining together would be their best option for now. Unlike the battles on the sea or back at Port Ferox, this fight proved to be rather difficult; the Valmese forces put up a great resistance, seemingly being capable of actually pushing the Shepherds back. Reaching a stalemate, Chrom had turned to Ja'vassa, a frantic look in his eyes. "Hey! Are you gonna be able to summon that dragon?" He asked, fighting off a Valmese soldier.

In response, Ja'vassa looked at the area around him. "I'll need you and others to clear up some extra space to do so.. could get messy should you be caught up in the summoning." The Khajiit, returning to fight against incoming soldiers. As the battle raged on, there would finally be enough room for Durnehviir to join the fight. Using the shout, the undead dragon had arrived in Valm, unleashing a terrifying roar as he took off into the air. Much like the fight in Port Ferox, the dragon had summoned the army of the undead to join the Shepherds in their struggle. This was more than enough to turn the tides in the favor of Chrom and his group. "I'm gonna go help the girl, you and the others should go deal with the commander and the remaining Valmese." The Khajiit suggested, receiving nods from his allies before he'd quickly make his way to the girl.

With a couple of Icy Spears, Ja'vassa was able to get the knights away from their target. "Are you alright?" He asked her, readying a Healing Hands spell in case she needed some medical attention. The girl nodded in response, "Aye, thank you. It seems the rumors were true about the Ylisseans.. your strength is unreal." Say'ri admitted, wearing a surprisingly calm smile in spite of the current events, though Ja'vassa looked a little confused. "You know of us?" He asked; he wasn't upset or anything, just mildly surprised at the revelation. 

"Of course, everyone knows of Prince Chrom and his group's exploits, but I fear now is not the best time to explain this." Say'ri said, watching as more enemies approached. Ja'vassa would nod in agreement, handing her Harkon's sword. "Here, I'll let you borrow this for now. If you're able to fight, then join us." The Khajiit suggested, soon joining the fight once again. The girl nodded, fighting right alongside him. With the help of both Durnehviir and Say'ri, the battle would finally come to an end in the favor of the Shepherds. Now that the fighting had ceased for the time being, the group would begin conversing with their new ally. 

"My, my.. I see the claims of your strength weren't just stories after all. I am Say'ri, and I am apart of the Resistance." She greeted, bowing slightly. "It may not be apparent, but several groups have formed in order to seek their independence from the Empire, though none of the other dynasts have stood against the Conqueror himself." The group listened to her, nodding after she had finished speaking. The idea of a resistance was promising to them, but considering what she said about this Conqueror, things began to get a little more difficult for them. "Why haven't they done anything yet?" Flavia asked, just trying to get a better idea of what was going on.

"Simple.. greed and jealousy prevents them from acting. Many thrive under Walhart's command, others refuse to take up arms unless their territory is threatened." Say'ri admitted, a rather annoyed sigh. "Among those happens to be my older brother, Yen'fay.. the dynasts may not trust me because of that."

This only caused more confusion among the group. "Why would your brother fight for them?" Ja'vassa asked, though he only received a shrug in response. "I do not know, I only pray to meet him on the battlefield to ask the question myself.. that's if I don't cut him down like the imperial dog he is." The answer wasn't quite as satisfactory as they had hoped, but none chose to argue with her. "Do you have any idea what kind of army this.. Conqueror leads?" Chrom interjected, hoping to get more information.

"I cannot say for sure, but it was enough to dominate the entirety of the continent in two years. Rumors claim he has well over a million men under his command." Say'ri replied, though this answer only provoked worried looks from the group. "A million? You're not serious, are you?" Lissa asked, gulping slightly. "Why so nervous, milady? It was the Ylissean forces that took out a thousand of their ships, no?" Say'ri asked, wearing a rather confident smile.

Chrom nodded at that, though he turned to Robin. "You've been quiet, friend. I hope that's a good sign." He said to the tactician. "I was thinking.. Say'ri, you said you've had trouble uniting the dynasts to stand up against the Conqueror, right? Do you think there might be something that could potentially get them to stand up?" He asked the Chon'sin princess, she would nod in confirmation. "Yes, many of our people worship the Divine Dragon, or more specifically, we revere her oracle, Lady Tiki. She's currently being held prisoner at the Mila Tree.. though, if she were to be freed.."

Robin nodded, "Then perhaps people could rally around her.. having extra hands in the coming days will certainly make our upcoming battles significantly easier." He suggested, turning to Chrom. "I know our priority is to take out this Conqueror, but it'd be suicide if we were to just waltz on up to the castle." The prince would nod in agreement, "You're right.. let's head to the Tree and see if we can't rescue TIki." He ordered, though he'd wind up following behind Say'ri, seeing as she knew the place significantly better than he did.


	16. Lady Tiki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though the Shepherds have been successful thus far in their battle against the Valmese forces, they're going to need some help if they wish for any hope of long term success.

After what seemed like an eternity on the road, the group had finally arrived at the sacred Mila Tree, though like one would expect, they would not be there alone. They had been met with yet another massive force of Valmese soldiers. Standing at the base of the stairs leading to the shrine housing Tiki was a bulky looking general, one sporting a rather impressive set of whiskers. "They've finally arrived.. it's a shame they came to face me and invincible mustache." Cervantes said, raising his tomahawk. "Remember, do not give them a chance to fight back! Make them tremble before the wondrous Valmese Army!" He ordered, standing back as he watched the battle commence.

Chrom unsheathed his sword, releasing an annoyed sigh. "I should've figured it wouldn't have been that easy..." He grumbled, quickly engaging the opposing army in battle. Despite the sheer numbers the Valmese forces possessed, it didn't seem the Shepherds would have as much difficulty this time as they did back at the Valm Harbor. Being separated into numerous factions, they had been able to make quick work of those who came after them. The battle would go just as one would expect; the Shepherds and their allies pushed back, with Chrom and Say'ri eventually reaching the general. "General Cervantes.." The princess grunted, raising her silver sword. The mustached warrior glared towards her, "I'm surprised to see you, Say'ri, my mortal enemy.. I was sure that we'd win, at least that was until you appeared!" He grumbled in response.

"Seriously? Is your beard all that you can talk about, idiot?" Say'ri asked in response, shaking her head. "We're locked in combat and that's the first thing you say?" In response to that, Cervantes slammed his tomahawk into the ground. "Are you deaf? I said appeared! Oh, forget it.. it's time you learned the errors of your way. When Walhart stands on top of the world, none shall oppose him!" Once he finished his statement, he was quick to engage the royals in combat. While Chrom and Say'ri had the advantage with their speed, Cervantes was able to stay in the game by matching their speed with his incredible strength and defense. Fortunately for them, the rest of their allies were able to do a good job holding off the Valmese soldiers. Blades clashed against his axe, with neither gaining any traction. "Ja'vassa!" Chrom shouted, turning towards the Khajiit. "Use that shout of yours if you're able! The one that increases our attack speed!" He suggested, having just barely avoided a swing from his enemy's axe.

Fortunately, Ja'vassa had just finished off a soldier he was facing off with. "Mid... Vur Shaan!" He shouted, giving all of his allies the needed boost in speed. This was enough to help both Chrom and Say'ri overwhelm Cervantes; disarming him before they were both able to strike him with a fatal blow. Now that the general and much of the Valmese forces had been defeated, they were finally able to make their way up the Tree. Yet another eternity would pass before they managed to reach the top. Once at the top, Lissa had almost collapsed from exhaustion. "I... I think I've seen.. enough stairs to last me a lifetime." She huffed, leaning against Robin for some support.

"So, the Oracle really lives up here then?" Lucina asked, looking towards Say'ri who would nod in confirmation. Once at the top of the steps, she had looked around. "Lady Tiki? Are you here?" She called out, a relieved sigh escaping her when she heard the yawn from the manakete. "Thank the gods you're okay.." Say'ri smiled, watching as Tiki scanned the group, her eyes landing on Lucina; the peaceful, serene look being replaced with a confused stare. "Marth? There's no way it's really you, Mar-Mar.." She muttered, though Lucina was quick to decline this. "Though I did call myself Marth for a while, my name is Lucina.. have we met before?"She asked, slightly confused herself.

Tiki shook her head in response, "My apologies, you just remind me of an old and dear friend of mine.." She responded, waving off the confusion before turning to Chrom. "Ah.. I can feel the exalted blood coursing through your veins. Do you have the Fire Emblem?"

The prince nodded in response, "Yeah, I do." He said, showing it to her as confirmation. "I'm glad to see it hasn't been lost.. I see Argent, but where are the other Gemstones?" Tiki asked, studying the shield. Unfortunately for her, Chrom only stared at her in confusion. "What Gemstones?" He asked in response.

"There were once five Gemstones mounted upon the Emblem; Argent, Sable, Gules, Azure, and Vert.. each holds a portion of the Divine Dragon's power and when placed upon the Emblem, it allows the bearer to perform the Awakening ritual. The First Exalt scattered gems following Grima's defeat.. I had kept Azure." She started before Say'ri chimed in, "Chon'sin protected Vert, but the gemstone was ultimately stolen by Walhart and his men."

"Unfortunately the likes of Sable and Gules are lost to me." Tiki added, but that's when Basilio also spoke up. "Back during the Schism when many of the nations were formed, the West-Khans of Regna Ferox held Gules, though it was lost long before my time." After everyone had finished speaking, Tiki had since given Azure to Chrom, "If you are wanting to stop the rise of Grima, you need to collect the other three stones.." She yawned slightly, tears of exhaustion propping up in her eyes. "I would join you, but I fear my strength hasn't yet returned to me. When the time comes, I will fight right alongside you." She bowed towards the group, smiling softly.

"Thank you, milady.. we owe you a great debt." Robin said, bowing towards her. With their conversation now over, the group would make their way back to the base of the Mila Tree to begin their next course of action. "Any idea where the Valmese forces are garrisoned, Say'ri?" Chrom asked, leaning against the massive tree. The princess of Chon'sin was silent for a few moments as she gathered her answer. "The Valmese army is broken up into three divisions... Walhart leads the north, my brother leads the south, and the third would be located at Fort Steiger." She explained, her eyes trailed to Robin. "I can see it in your eyes, sir.. what's on your mind?" She asked, a confident smile spreading across her face.

"Perhaps our best bet is to attack Fort Steiger.. if we could interrupt them in the center, it could impact communication, supply caravans, and if we're successful, perhaps the dynasts will see this as a reason to act." Robin started, rubbing his chin. Ja'vassa would soon chime in, nodding in agreement to what Robin said. "He makes a good point.. though, if we end up disrupting this, then there's a good chance that one, if not, both armies will end up coming after us. I'm not sure who we'd rather face in battle. This Conqueror sounds horribly strong, but so does this Yen'fay." This effectively silenced the group for a moment, at least until Say'ri spoke up.

"Both the north and south divisions are tough, but perhaps if Yen'fay is out of the way, it might give the southern dynasts more of a reason to act. I do not know if they haven't done much out of respect or fear for him, but if he's gone.." She paused, she knew full well what would happen if they met her brother in combat; either they'd have to kill him or they'd be killed themselves. "I wish there was another option, but it's the only one we have." Unable to find a proper argument, the group silently agreed.

"Alright... so, our next objective is Fort Steiger." Chrom said, beginning to head off. "Robin, I'll leave it up to you to plan out our strategy as we walk." He suggested, with the tactician nodding in response. Many of the Shepherds were equal parts nervous and equal parts excited to see how this played out; should they win, this could easily be a deciding factor for how the war effort goes, if they lose, it's likely the Ylisse and the rest of the world will fall to the Valmese forces, but for now, they only worried about getting to the fort in one piece.


	17. The Battle for Fort Steiger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group's battle against the Valmese army continues as they attempt to capture an important military fortress.

After a day on the road, the group had finally arrived at the gates of Fort Steiger, ready to fight their way to the general. Robin studied the front entrance, "We need to split into three groups.. one taking the west gate, another taking the central gate, and the last taking the eastern gate. Ja'vassa, you and Nowi should lead the west.. Chrom, you and Say'ri should take the east, and then I'll lead the central forces." He suggested, looking to them for confirmation. "With any luck, we should be able to meet back up in the interior. If you meet the general before us, try your best to hold them off until the others can join you."

After he finished explaining his plan, the group had separated with each taking the gate as suggested. Robin had turned to Flavia and Basilio. "You and your men should worry about ensuring no one else gets in here." The Khans nodded at him and would prepare their men to stand on guard. The rest of the allied forces would march into the fort, cutting down any soldier that dared to get in their way. It wouldn't be long before the blood of the Valmese forces stained the once clean floors of the fort. Eventually, each of the three factions had arrived in the heart of the fortress, only to come face to face with Steiger's strongest forces. It had appeared the general had just finished speaking with a strange looking mage. Things would only get stranger from there as an Ylissean pegasus knight quickly approached Chrom with some dire news. "Milord! Reinforcements are on their way. They don't appear to be of the Valmese army, but they don't appear friendly either." She stated, her lance quivering slightly. Chrom had bit his lip, "Say'ri.. what do think they're doing?" He asked her, hoping she had a better idea.

"Perhaps they're part of the resistance, but.. if they seem hostile.. then I'm not sure." Say'ri replied, sighing softly. "For now, let's focus on taking the fort, we'll worry about the others later." Chrom nodded in response, soon rejoining the battle. "I'll deal with the General, the rest of you, continue fending off the other soldiers." He ordered, making his way to Pheros. Rather than looking nervous or afraid, she merely smirked as the prince rushed her.

"Ah, Prince Chrom.. the brother of the once great Exalt Emmeryn. I'm glad we finally got to meet in battle." Pheros smiled, readying her spell. "You know, I once worshiped Naga and followed your sister.. though that was a long time ago."

Chrom returned her smile with a glare of his own. "What made you change your mind?" He asked in response, "You claim to have followed my sister, yet you're helping a man wage war on such a huge scale."

"It's simple, I no longer had any use for spirits I couldn't see. I've since begun following a god among men. Walhart's promises have always come true, the same can't be said for the gods I've worshiped." Pheros replied, laughing softly. "However.. the time for talking is long past. It's time to see who's will is stronger... yours or the Conqueror's?" After she finished speaking, she had launched the first attack with her Bolganone tome. Fortunately, Chrom was able to get out of the way before the blistering hot magic got to him. In retaliation, the prince ran up to her, slashing at her with his Falchion in an effort to get rid of her spellbook. His efforts wouldn't be successful, though it seemed she wasn't able to land a hit on him either.

In the background, the battle between Say'ri, Ja'vassa, and Robin's group had been going smoothly. So far, no one had managed to break through the allied forces, and as of now, the resistance hadn't broken through the Feroxi defense. "Robin.. you should go help Chrom. It doesn't seem he's able to break through the general's magic." The Khajiit suggested in the brief moment between his battles. Robin nodded at that, quickly making is way to join Chrom. With the two of them together, the battle was becoming far more manageable. With Chrom's swordplay and Robin's magic, they had managed to finally overcome Pheros. Though, with her dying breaths, she grinned. "Strike me down and a thousand will take my place.. you have lost, Ylisseans.. Walhart will unify the world!" She sputtered out, finally succumbing to her wounds.

Now that the battle had finally come to a close, another pegasus knight rushed over to Chrom. "Milord! More dire news, sire. Our forces have been completely decimated by both Walhart and Yen'fay, and those that survived have betrayed us for the Empire. Both groups are on their way to the fort now." She explained, waiting for his response. "We had hundreds of thousands of soldiers.. how could this happen?" Say'ri asked frantically, worrying their efforts had all been for nothing.

"Perhaps they were simply better equipped or better trained?" Flavia suggested, "Though I don't think that's our biggest problem. We're gonna be swamped in the Valmese forces soon enough. What do we do?" She asked, mostly looking towards Robin for any ideas. The tactician looked around the area, "If we're to escape, we need to do it now. Any hesitation will likely be fatal on our part." He suggested; the others were understandably nervous, but they agreed nonetheless. "According to Say'ri, our best bet would be going for the south.."

"This smells like it could be a death trap.." Flavia said, "If we were to face both, we'd be slaughtered, but one general might happen upon us before we're able to finish off the other, and then what happens?" She asked the tactician; normally she wouldn't argue with Robin, but this was so much more than just defending the port or fighting off the naval force. Robin was silent as he figured out the next plan. "Our army is.. in tatters as it is now.. but, we might need to split the group in half. Chrom will lead our strongest soldiers for Yen'fay----" Flavia once again cut in before he could finish speaking.

"You're insane! We couldn't defeat them with double our numbers and suddenly, you want to split us in half?!" She asked, her eyes quivering slightly. Robin had shaken his head in response. "I never said we had to defeat Walhart, only distract him. We'd need the other party to hold him off until Yen'fay is dispatched.. it's a dangerous mission, but that's why we'd send someone with skills unmatched by anyone, unspeakable bravery..." For the second time, Robin had been cut off, this time by Basilio.

"Stop it, Robin. You're gonna make me blush." The Khan said with a hearty laugh. "I'll do it." In response to that, Robin shook his head. "This isn't exactly a great time for jokes, Basilio. The stakes couldn't be higher." He reminded him.

Flavia chuckled, "Peace, Robin. Terrible humor just comes with his courage. He has faith in you, as do all of us." This time, it was Lucina's turn to interrupt them. "Please, Basilio... I won't allow you to do this! This... this battle will be your last! I know it for certain." She warned him, blocking his way. The West-Khan rose his eyebrow in response. "Is that so? Do you know who killed me? It'd make for a better story if it was Walhart himself..." He said, another hearty laugh escaping him. Lucina nodded softly, "That's how the story goes, at least... but we can't let fate return to its original course."

Basilio nodded as he listened to her, rubbing his chin. "Well.. if that's the case, I'll be sure to avoid confronting him myself. The warning is appreciated, lass." He responded, a warm smile crossing his face. "B-But... you know what's going to happen.." Lucina argued, though this all for nothing. "I'm aware of what you said, but.. you don't grow to be this old and handsome without learning to avoid danger." He replied, grabbing his signature silver axe.

Flavia chuckled, "He'll be fine, Lucina.. I'll be sure of that myself." She assured her, though now it was Basilio's turn to argue. "Hell no, woman. You're the reigning Khan, we're not risking you too."

"I thought you wanted to win, oaf. Our nation has two rulers, and now you're responsible for both." The East-Khan argued in response. Basilio scoffed, laughing softly. "Fine, I suppose you can come, if that's okay with you, Chrom." The prince nodded in response, "Just.. just be careful out there, don't forget what kind of enemy we're facing."

They nodded, "Don't worry, I'll bring the big oaf back on a leash if I have to." Flavia assured him, though Lucina still wasn't satisfied with this. "But... you can't.. your.. your future!" She reminded them.

Basilio scoffed again, "Not another word, lass. I fully intend to outlive all of you.. I'll bet my big Feroxi arse on it." He replied, getting ready to leave. Lucina sighed in defeat, seeing as nothing she'd say could change their minds. "Now, with that settled.. we'll begin planning for our course against Yen'fay." Robin said, turning to the Khans. "Godspeed, my friends." With their final farewells, the group had split up. Chrom's group headed south while the Feroxi group headed north, each hoping to accomplish whatever needed to be done.


	18. Diversion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though the group was successful in taking the fort, a new threat looms overhead.

Hours had gone by before the Feroxi forces would come face to face with their enemy, though it wasn't exactly a pleased reaction. "The cavalry has washed upon us!" Flavia said, though she quickly came to a shocking realization. "Wait.. it's only one man! He's swatting our troops like flies!"

Basilio clenched his teeth, watching the approaching warrior. "Don't let them scatter us! Let's show these metalheads a taste of our barbarian roots!" He ordered, rushing at the armored rider. "You there! Do you command these forces?" He asked, raising his own axe, clearly ready for a fight. Basilio merely nodded in response, soon engaging the warrior in battle. Despite the Khan's own impressive strength, he was obviously outmatched by his opponent who had delivered the first blow; though the attack was deadly, it wasn't enough to get Basilio to stop as he quickly retaliated with a devastating blow of his own.

Unfortunately for him, Walhart immediately struck back, though instead of just landing the killing blow, he stood back and smiled. "You have my respect, warrior. You're the first since Yen'fay to survive more than a single attack from me." He said, raising his axe again. "It's a shame we were on opposite sides."

Basilio held his wound, clenching his teeth. "Dammit.. this guy.. his strength is unreal.." He grumbled. "Flavia... everyone, run now! Don't risk it!" He ordered, though Flavia was defiant. "No! I'm not leaving without you, oaf!" She argued, grabbing her blade.

"Dammit, woman! Go now, I can only buy enough time for you to escape!" Basilio yelled, though he really wasn't in any position to argue any further. "It seems Lucina was right after all.." He coughed, a bit of blood dripping down his chin. Again, Flavia had defied him; she pointed her blade towards Walhart. "No way, Basilio... I promised them we'd come back together!"

With an annoyed sigh, the West-Khan had given her something. "Give.. give this to Chrom.." He had given her one of the Gemstones for the Emblem, though she looked to him with mild confusion and anger. "A Gemstone?" She started, "Why don't you give it to him yourself, idiot?!" Her usual stoic and tone had become shaken, nervous as she spoke.

"Please, for once in your life, just do what I tell you! Only one of us is leaving here alive, and it has to be you!" Basilio pleaded, though Flavia was understandably reluctant, she winded up nodding in response, fleeing from the scene as she had been ordered. "Basilio!" She cried out, taking one last look towards her old friend, tears sliding down her cheeks as she ran.

Walhart grinned as he watched Basilio stand up again. "You're a most impressive warrior.." He admitted, cutting down the Khan once and for all. Covered in fresh blood, the Feroxi warrior had finally fallen, his laying idly besides his corpse.


	19. Sorrowful Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chrom's army might've won the day, but it wasn't without it's fair share of sorrow.

While Basilio had worked on creating a diversion for Chrom's group, they had been busy developing a plan to counter Yen'fay's group. They had decided to try and meet their southern enemies halfway, long before they could reach the fort by heading to a place known as the Demon's Ingle. They would no doubt be outnumbered in this battle, so the group would figure out their method of attack. Ja'vassa had rubbed his chin, "Dammit.. that won't work.." He muttered, though Robin looked to him in confusion. "What won't work?" He asked him.

The Khajiit sighed in response, "I believe in this situation, Storm Call would be useful.. but, I can't guarantee you or any of our other allies would be safe from harm." This got Chrom's attention. "What exactly is Storm Call? Another Shout?" He asked, receiving a nod from Ja'vassa. "Yeah.. with the Shout, I can create a powerful thunderstorm, though there's no way of telling where the lightning bolts will strike.. if it hits you, it'll do severe damage. I can't promise that you would be free of harm, or even survive the bolts should they hit you. I could make some resist shock potions, but that all depends on how long it'll take us to arrive at this place."

The prince and tactician looked to each other before glancing at Say'ri. "It's risky, but... how long would it take for us to reach this place?" Robin asked her, though she only shrugged in response. "I do not know.. would likely take a few hours. Are you hoping for him to employ this power, despite the risks?" She raised her eyebrow, though both Robin and Chrom nodded. "Ja'vassa.. why don't you work on making those potions? If Storm Call is as strong as you say it is, then it might be worth risking it." He said to the Khajiit.

"I won't promise I'll have enough ingredients for everyone, but I'll do what I can." He replied, having since climbed into one of the wagons as Chrom had ordered. To keep him company, Nowi and Nah joined him. "So, father.. you hadn't told me you made medicine." The child said, leaning on Ja'vassa's arm. "Who taught you how to do this?"

"My father taught all that I know about alchemy.. he taught a number of important recipes for a variety of potions and poisons." He explained, mixing the first few potions. "Alchemy is as rewarding as it is dangerous.. if you're successful in what you do, it'll serve you well." He smiled towards his daughter, "Unfortunately.. my potions taste horrible, so you'll have to try and stomach it the best you can, sweetheart." He added, receiving a nod from the child.

"Do you think you might be able to teach me in the future?" Nah asked, watching as he mixed his ingredients. Ja'vassa nodded in response, "Of course I will, love. As soon as this war is over, we'll have plenty of time to do so." This caused Nah to smile happily, hugging her father. Nowi watched the two in the background, soon joining in on the hug. "I'm glad you two get along so well." She said happily, nuzzling her husband. "I'm glad as well.. it feels nice to finally have a family again.." The Khajiit said softly.

For the next few hours, the trip would go about the same with Ja'vassa's family. Them talking about various things while he had made up the potions. Once arriving, the usually strong and stoic Khajiit looked considerably weaker here; the sunlight already weakened him, but the extreme heat of the Demon's Ingle did little to help him. Nowi looked at him with obvious concern, "Are you alright, Ja'vassa?" She asked, holding his hand. "I'm.. I'm fine.. I just.. I don't know if I'll be alright with the heat.. I've never faced anything like this." Ja'vassa responded, clinging to his wife as he struggled to stay on his feet. "I'm sorry, Robin... but I'm gonna have to hang back for the time being." He paused, using a Frostbite spell on himself in an effort to keep cool. "I can provide support through my Shouts and magic, but I doubt I'll be all that useful to you."

Robin nodded to him, "Right.. you should hang back for now, we'll worry about the fight." He assured him, "Though.. did you manage to finish those potions? They might be useful in case the enemy has Thunder magic." To that, Ja'vassa nodded. "Yeah... I should have enough for everyone." He had distributed the potions as necessary, once the battle actually begins I'll use Storm Call.. and as soon as that happens, drink it." Those who collected the potions, nodded in response.

Roughly on the opposite side of the battlefield was Yen'fay's forces who were seemingly waiting for the right moment to watch. The swordmaster was watching as stoically as ever, not muttering so much as a whisper. Another General would soon join him. "Why so glum, General? There something on your mind?" Excellus asked, a rather cocky smile on his face. "Ah, yes... it's the day you face your darling sister, no?"

"I have no sister." Yen'fay responded simply, "She is a traitor and will die a traitor's death." Though his tone sounded serious, it was obvious to anyone that he was covering his true feelings. Even Excellus had lost his cocky smile. "That's a good one, General... a fitting line indeed. Regardless, I'm glad to know you won't go easy on her or any of her little friends." Rubbing the back of his head, he would prepare to warp again. "In any case, I hope you know the imperial army will welcome you back with open arms should you be successful. Do tell your sister I said hello." And with that, the mage had left as quickly as he appeared.

Now that he was gone, the battle could finally begin. Leading the force this time was Say'ri; hot, angry tears streamed down her face. "Yen'fay... today you die like the traitor you are." She muttered. "Let me deal with him.. I have to know why he joined the man who murdered our parents." Chrom and Robin had nodded in response, "Right.. be careful, Say'ri." The prince suggested, preparing for battle. "Ja'vassa, if you can, use Storm Call!" He yelled back to the Khajiit.

He remained by one of the wagon's, being protected by his wife and daughter. _"Strun... Bah Qo!"_ He shouted, forming the massive storm. Torrential rains poured down, creating bursts of stream as it hit the lava; massive bolts of lightning struck, some hitting the enemy, some hitting his allies, but thanks to the resist shock potions, the Shepherds were more or less okay. The enemy on the other hand couldn't say the same. With the massive storm raging, Say'ri and her friends would push onward, striking down any of the Valmese forces. In the background, Ja'vassa would send out Storm Atronachs to aid them; as they were immune to the bolts of lightning, they would provide plenty of help. Eventually, the siblings would meet in battle.

Both of them raised their blades, though they both seemed reluctant to actually start the fight. "I.. I don't know why you did it, but it's clear I won't get an answer out of you. I cannot forgive you nor can I allow you to live with your crimes. Your reasons will die with you, Brother." Say'ri said, preparing to strike.

Yen'fay remained as unflinching as always. "I never asked for your forgiveness.. I've not asked for anything else, Sister." He had also prepared to attack.

"You watched as Walhart struck down our parents... stood in the background as hundreds upon hundreds of innocents were struck down, as fields were burned and destroyed, and yet you can't say anything? You're no longer the brother I once loved." The sister said, forcing tears back. Yen'fay said nothing, though his blade twitched in his hands. "Dammit, Yen'fay! Fine.. I'll make your blade answer for me!" And with that, she had rushed at him; her blade clashing with his. While Say'ri had the advantage with her speed, the General had the advantage in every other category. Even with Storm Call, it seemed that defeating Yen'fay was going to take everything she had in her.

With a timely lightning strike from Storm Call, Say'ri was finally able to land the finishing blow. "Why do you mock me, Brother? This.. this wasn't like you at all.." She muttered, the tears returning to her eyes. Yen'fay smiled at her, "You've become.. so strong, Say'ri.. I couldn't tell you in life, but perhaps in death you'll understand. You have powerful allies, I no longer worry for your future. I go with no regrets." His life slowly fluttered out, a peaceful look gracing his face.

"Wait... Yen'fay?!" The girl's hands shook slightly. "Don't you dare leave me with more questions.. not again.. Yen'fay!" She slammed her sword into the ground, finally breaking down into sobs. "Yen'fay.."

Soon after the battle had finished and once the raging storm dissipated, Excellus had returned. "And so ends Chon'sin's greatest warrior, and what a death it was. Even as he died, he held himself with such commendable honor and dignity, something few warriors can boast." Excellus said, clapping in amazement. His very appearance caused the princess' blood to boil as she turned to him.

"You... you treacherous snake! What do you know of Yen'fay?" She asked, raising her sword again. "Heh... I am simply honoring his sacrifice, though I have my limits too." The mage replied, grinning towards the girl.

"His... sacrifice? What are you talking about?" Say'ri asked, growing even more confused by the second. Playfully, Excellus covered his mouth. "Oh, dear.. that was supposed to remain in my head. I suppose we all make mistakes." He said. This only enraged Say'ri further, "What are you talking about, snake? Tell me or die!" She ordered, though the cheery look on Excellus transitioned to something a little more annoyed.

"You? Killing me? Hah! Where did you learn these jokes?" Excellus asked, "You only live through MY grace.. if not for your brother, I could've killed you countless times already, but I held my weapon." He paused, noticing the confused look on Say'ri. "Oh? Did he not tell you as you skewered him? I'm not surprised.. he was always so quiet and dignified.. he swallowed his pride and threw his honor to the side just to protect you. If not for that sacrifice, you and the rest of your little country would've been completely destroyed. That's right, he did it for you."

Say'ri stepped back a little, sobs escaping her. "No.. no, that... that can't be true.. You're lying, you have to be!" She argued, refusing to believe any of this.

Excellus chuckled in response, "For once I'm being honest, which doesn't happen very often... it feels so nice, perhaps I'll strive to do it more often!" He proclaimed. Though the heat of the volcano still limited Ja'vassa considerably, he was able to move around and he was eager to cut down Excellus. He lost his little sister years ago, he knows just how hard it was to lose a sibling, so he could sympathize with her. "You.. you disgust me, worm.." He grunted, now using one of his swords to keep himself upright. "I've met plenty of twisted bastards during my travels, but you are the only one that's made me sick to my stomach.." He grunted, glaring towards the enemy tactician.

Excellus laughed in response, "We're no different, cat.. you and I are exactly alike. We kill and manipulate to ensure our survival." He replied to Ja'vassa. "We're nothing alike! I've never forced families to fight each other like that.. I've never forced a man to surrender his entire country, all of his people like that.." He growled, preparing a Lightning Storm spell. "I've done terrible things, but to think we're even comparable is a joke."

The mage only laughed again. "Whatever you say, cat. I suppose I'll see you around, my friends.. I hope your journey is well and I apologize for Yen'fay." He said, smiling. "...oh, my. I've broken my resolution twice already. Whoops! Ta ta!" Before Ja'vassa could launch the Lightning Storm, he had warped away. "Slippery bastard..." He grunted, though his focus turned to Say'ri.

The girl was on the ground, sobbing over what she had done. "No.. no.. Yen'fay.. all the things I said and did, right to the very end.. I've.. I've been horrible to him. He protected me, he protected all of us, yet I treated him like a criminal." Ja'vassa knelt besides her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I know all too well the pain of losing family.. you aren't the one to blame here, Say'ri. That.. Excellus and the empire are. We can't mourn his death now, that will have to wait until the battle has truly been won. Your brother gave his life so that you might live on, accomplish the dream he could never achieve. Hold your head up and I promise, we will win the battle." He assured her, the girl looked towards the Khajiit.

"You and your friends have done so much for me in the short time I've known you, yet I can't repay the kindness you've given me.. what little help I had given you, they've turned on us.." Say'ri said in between sobs. "Perhaps, but we're the rebellion now.. and so far, we've been able to do what the Resistance hasn't. We've not yet lost a battle. Your brother would be proud of you. Look at the lives you've managed to save so far." Ja'vassa stood back up, holding his hand out to her. "Now, come on. We need to keep moving to ensure his sacrifice wasn't in vain. We will keep fighting to ensure this land will be free, or we will die trying."

After wiping her cheeks, Say'ri had taken his hand and stood up. "Aye, sir.. you're right, thank you." She looked to the other Shepherds. "I owe all of you my life. We won't lose, not now, not ever." She nodded, Ja'vassa had smiled in approval before he'd return to his wife and daughter. With this battle over, they would begin making their way back to Fort Steiger in order to prepare for the next fight.

Nowi giggled as she wrapped herself around her husband's arm. "That was quite the rousing speech, my love. Who knew you were so inspirational?" She asked playfully. Ja'vassa smiled towards his wife, gently lifting her up. "Well, it might just be the Dragon Blood in me.. the Greybeards had told me about having the Voice of Wisdom, much like that old Tiber Septim himself." He responded, though Nowi was obviously confused at what any of that meant, she just giggled again. "Get some sleep, sweetheart.. we've got a long road ahead of us."

A couple hours would pass before they finally returned to Fort Steiger, being met with a sorrowful soldier. "Lord Chrom!" He shouted, rushing towards the prince. "I've dire news! Khan Basilio had been killed in battle, struck down by Walhart himself."

"What? You're certain of this?" Chrom asked, unable to believe the news. Though, Flavia soon returned, backing up the soldier's claim. "He's gone, Chrom. I witnessed the battle myself." It was clear she was having trouble keeping herself composed. Lucina had covered her mouth in the revelation of the news. "No..."

"Flavia? You don't look so good... Lucina, fetch a healer!" Chrom ordered, though the Khan waved it off. "I'll be fine.. just... damn me for outliving that oaf! Damn it all.." She clenched her teeth, unable to hide her own tears any longer. Lucina remained silent, worrying more about the future now. Flavia had slammed her sword into the ground, "I'll kill that bastard myself if he dares to show himself around here!"

Chrom shook his head in response, "No, you need to rest. We can't afford to risk losing you as well.. we will avenge Basilio, you have our word." He assured her. "You better keep that promise, Chrom... though, that reminds me. Basilio had a parting gift for you." Flavia replied, handing him Gules. "Don't ask me why the oaf hid it from you.. he was always a fan of surprises."

Chrom gratefully accepted the gem, having placed it back onto the Fire Emblem. "I can't believe he's dead.. and I was there. He was a mountain of a man, there's no replacing him. Damn that oaf..." Flavia muttered, picking up her sword again. Though the group had won a decisive victory against Yen'fay and his forces, they couldn't celebrate. Two devastating losses within a matter of hours weighed heavily on many of the Shepherds.


	20. To Topple an Empire - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All of the pain and sorrow while in Valm has led to this point, it's time to take down the Conqueror once and for all.

Though the morale among the group was at an all time low, none of the allied forces were quite ready to give up. They wanted nothing more than to uphold the sacrifices of Yen'fay and Basilio, to ensure their deaths weren't in vain. Fortunately, it seemed their fortunes would begin to change upon the arrival of a new message from several of their scouts. "It appears much of Walhart's forces have retreated to the capital.. with the loss of Yen'fay and Fort Steiger, it'd make sense they'd want to regroup.. of course, the dynasts are also beginning to see opportunity in the rebellion. There's a chance they'll join us if they see any advantages for themselves." She explained, receiving nods from the group.

Chrom raised his blade in a triumphant manner. "Shepherds, allies, friends! This marks our final battle in Valm, and hopefully the final battle of this Conqueror. We march to the Valmese capital!" He ordered, heading for the north. With spirits raised, the remaining soldiers followed behind them, eager to get this battle taken care of. Once at the capital, they looked a bit confused at the fact that there weren't any soldiers waiting for them. "Strange.. I would've expected this place to be crawling with the imperial army.." Chrom said, looking around the field, rubbing his chin. Ja'vassa chimed in. "Perhaps they're simply making final preparations? We've had two major victories, so no matter how strong they are, they need to make sure they make no mistakes here.." The Khajiit suggested. "If we storm into the castle, we'll be knee-deep in our enemies.."

Back inside the castle, several Valmese generals were conversing; namely Excellus and the formerly defeated Cervantes. The bearded general was as usual just stroking his luscious whiskers, grinning. "Take a whiff of that, tactician.. you can practically smell the anticipation. It's making it difficult to brush my beard.. our struggle will be immense, but we'll no doubt go down in history as legends." He said, slinging his tomahawk on his shoulder. Excellus turned to him, "There's gonna be no struggle.. those dynasts will be here soon enough and they'll do the slaughtering for us. You and I can just relax here. We've no need to risk any Valmese soldiers, and perhaps no one is better at judging this than I. The Resistance may have been able to stop Yen'fay and Pheros, but they won't be able to stop the dynasts.."

Soon, Walhart would enter the fray. "Cervantes, who has broken beyond the limits of a normal man? Who has risen above the divines?" He asked, crossing his arms. Cervantes bowed, "Only you, milord." He confirmed. Walhart would then turn to his tactician, "Care to explain your previous statement, Excellus?" He asked, his stern tone sounding slightly angered.

"I-I meant no disrespect, master.. I only wish to achieve greatness in your glory." Excellus said frantically, sweating in nervousness.

"How can you expect to win any kind of glory stuck in a castle? True glory is won on the field of battle, watching your opponent's hope drain away with his life. I have no desire to be holed up in a castle following some cowardly plan." The Conqueror said, soon leaving.

Cervantes chuckled seeing Excellus' reaction. "For a genius, you sure can be stupid." He shook his head, crossing his arms.

The tactician now seething with rage, glaring at his ally. "Who are you to talk to me like that? Speaking to your superiors like that will get you nowhere." He warned, clenching his spellbook.

The other general laughed, "You are no one's superior, worm. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for the coming battle. Why don't you prepare some tea for our friends?" He suggested, also leaving.

Excellus flushed with anger as he watched Cervantes leave. "Who does that moron think he's talking to?" He muttered, slowly calming down. "I should keep my composure together.. both of them will be dead soon, one way or another, I'll live to see another day."

Back outside, the group had finally finished preparations for the coming battle. "Chrom.. we've got company." Ja'vassa said. "Say'ri, is that Walhart?" He asked, pointing towards the man in the red armor.

"Aye.. seems he wants to enjoy the fight himself." Say'ri confirmed, nodding. Chrom sighed softly. "Alright.. Ja'vassa, as our strongest warrior, I think you should be the one to face the Conqueror... Basilio may not have been able to win, but I believe your skills are far beyond his. We'll hold off his allies until you can finish him off." He suggested.

Ja'vassa nodded at this, "I'll have that bastard's head before the day's over." He said, though before he could ready himself for combat, both Nowi and Nah had grabbed his hands. "Be careful, dear.. I know you're strong, but.. just be careful." His wife said, gulping slightly. Nah nodded in agreement with her mother. A soft smile spread across the Khajiit's face. "I'll be careful, don't worry." He assured them, pressing a gentle kiss to Nah's cheek before sharing another kiss with Nowi. "After the battle's over, maybe I could treat you to some sweets from Skyrim." After he finished speaking, he drew Harkon's sword and readied a Fireball spell in the other hand.

Just a fair distance from them, near the entrance of the castle. Walhart raised his axe. "Your sister would be proud of how far you came, little prince. Unfortunately, this is as far as you'll get. You are just another stepping stone in my path to glory. Ride with me, warriors of Valm! Together, we will stamp out the flames of resistance and finally unite the world into one!" He pointed the axe forward, "Soldiers of Valm, charge!"

The Valmese soldiers rushed forward, clashing with the charging Ylissean forces. Using a combination of his shouts and magic, reaching the Conqueror wasn't as hard as expected. Ja'vassa grinned, "Funny, this wouldn't be the first time I was tasked with killing an Emperor. I just hope you'll put up more of a fight than the last." He raised his blade, ready to strike him down.

Walhart merely studied him. "I always believe in sharing a word with fellow warriors before we do battle. Who are you? I heard reports that you were instrumental in defeating my armies at Port Ferox, Valm Harbor, as well as Yen'fay's army. Care to explain that? And perhaps you could even share that story of the other Emperor you murdered."

Unable to help it, the Khajiit chuckled softly. "I am Ja'vassa, bearer of many titles. Volkihar vampire, Listener for the Dark Brotherhood, thief, Dragonborn, and faithful servant of Hermaeus Mora, Sheogorath, Azura, and Mehrunes Dagon." He greeted, bowing slightly. "Having mastery over both magic and the Thu'um makes it rather easy to dominate over your opponents. I've been a part of a few wars, if you want to call them that and I've ended all of them single handedly." Another brief pause followed. "As far the Emperor goes, it was merely a job through the Dark Brotherhood."

Walhart scoffed at that, "A mere cutthroat and the prince sends him to do battle with the Conqueror? I'm hoping you're as powerful as he claims."

"It's true, I am an assassin for hire.. the lust for gold was a powerful lure, but I'm no coward. I never snuck up on any of my targets, I conversed with each and every one of them like I am with you. As for the Emperor, he was the ruler of a dying Empire.. losing against the Aldmeri Dominion, then struggling with the Skyrim Civil War made him an easy target." Ja'vassa started, laughing softly. "However, I couldn't leave any witnesses alive. I killed every last soldier, every last guard, and every last sailor. The Emperor's ship was still docked where my attack occurred."

Walhart seemed slightly impressed, though his expression was mostly unchanged. "Why do you fight for the Ylisseans? What's stopping you from switching sides?" He asked, genuinely curious. "With you at my side, none would be able to stand in our way."

Ja'vassa's proud grin turned into a glare. "I may be a thief and an assassin, but I am not without honor. To abandon my allies would be dishonorable... not to mention, I'm not going anywhere without my wife and daughter. Since I joined the Brotherhood, they've been the only ones to accept me despite my unclean record." He had shaken his head, "The time for talking is long past. It's time we found out if you're worthy the title of Conqueror."

"I agree.. let's see if the tales of your strength were true." Walhart readied his axe. "If you believe your cause to be true, then you will no doubt prove to be a worthy opponent." Once they had both finished speaking, their battle had begun. Though both the allied and Valmese forces were locked into battles of their own, they couldn't help but watch as the Dragonborn and Conqueror fought. Ja'vassa owned the advantage in speed and agility, though Walhart evened the playing field with his incredible strength and defense, not to mention the Emperor's horse and his armor made it difficult to properly land a damaging blow.

Running out of options, Ja'vassa decided to employ a Marked for Death shout, _"Krii... Lun Aus!"_ He shouted, unleashing the dark blue energy towards the Conqueror. With the successful hit, Walhart would suddenly find his once tough armor doing little favors to protect against Ja'vassa's next attack; slashing at three times, cutting his chest, abdomen, and arm. This caused him to fall off the horse, though this is when some of the Valmese forces moved in, trying their best to protect their leader. Distracted by interlopers, Walhart was able to retreat inside the castle where he'd be attended to by some healers.

"Dammit, get back here, you coward!" The Khajiit yelled, though was held back by his new opponents. Say'ri and Chrom both shared an annoyed look, "Those soldiers were willing to lay down their lives to ensure he escaped.." The prince said, "We can't allow him a moment to rest! Shepherds, allies! Pursue him---" Though he quickly stopped himself as he noticed they had company. "The dynasts have arrived.. damn it.. we're surrounded again!"

Say'ri looked more confused than anything. "Those were the states that betrayed us for the Empire, but now it seems their allegiance lies with us again.." She said, unable to stop a smile. "They were from the lands my brother controlled.."


	21. To Topple an Empire - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the final battle, everything has led to this point. Emperor Walhart cannot be allowed to continue his reign of terror.

Back inside the castle, Excellus looked onward with shock and horror. "The Conqueror had been conquered? I don't believe my eyes.. unless.." He had begun to leave, only to be stopped by the recently healed Walhart. "Where do you think you're going, tactician?" He asked, his tone remaining as stern and serious as always.

The tactician gulped slightly, "I was going to check on you and see if you're okay, master." He replied, hoping that his master would accept that.

"Rally the remaining troops in the capital, this is our last stand." Walhart ordered, crossing his arms.

Excellus nodded at him, "As you wish, sire.. though, have you considered waiting a bit? We have help on the way.." He suggested, but was quickly shut down.

"I'd recommend you take your head out of whatever it's lodged in and peer out into the sunlight, snake. If you had half the intellect of the Ylissean tactician, you'd be aware of our current situation." Walhart remarked.

The tactician's eyes widened as he noticed what had been going on. "The dynasts are making their way here.. they must've found out about Yen'fay.." He paused, looking a bit baffled at the turn of events. "Is it possible they feared Yen'fay instead of me? No.. no, that---" He was interrupted by his master.

"Why should they fear you, even now? Without Yen'fay, your threat was nothing more than that of a tiny spider." Walhart said, shaking his head.

Excellus' confused appearance quickly transitioned into an angry expression. "Tiny spider? Well, this spider's woven numerous secrets you never would've imagined possible." He retorted.

A soft laugh escaped the Conqueror, "Which secrets are you referring to? Your blackmailing of Yen'fay? Your designs on the Fire Emblem? Your allegiance with that Plegian woman... Aversa, was it? Your allegiance with the Grimleal? Your lust for the Plegian throne? Or is it something else?" He asked mockingly.

In response to this, Excellus stared at his master in surprise. "You.. you knew about all that? How.. how? Why haven't you killed me for it?" He asked, nervous and curious now.

"I am unsure.. though, you are no threat to me.. and you have some use." Walhart started, smirking. "I'm not one for clowns or jesters, but you do amuse me."

Once again, the tactician flashed with anger. "I amuse you? Are you laughing now that innumerable soldiers are coming for your life? You've lost! The insurmountable Conqueror will be conquered! Me? I will have no part of this, this spider crawls out of this battle alive." He retorted, his teeth clenched in anger.

"Do my ears deceive me or did you just pledge yourself to lead my guard against the rebels?" Walhart raised his axe.

"What? I.. I didn't--" Excellus would be interrupted by an angry Walhart. "Of course, that's unless you're willing to fight me here and now." He had pointed the axe at his tactician. Seeing the axe just inches away from him, Excellus gulped. "Innumerable pardons, master.. it was only a momentary insanity from the stressful state we're in. It will not return, I assure you." He said quickly. This was a satisfying answer for Walhart as he pulled his axe away. With the matter settled, he would go off to prepare for the coming battle. Cervantes scoffed, "My superior.. he was right. You are an amusing little jester." He said mockingly, joining Walhart in his preparations.

Excellus returned to his old, angry self. "Those.. those imbeciles. They forget who I am. Let's just hope the rebels do their jobs and perhaps I might.. entertain them a bit." He grinned, grabbing his Bolganone tome. "One way or another, I will live to see tomorrow."

The allied forces would soon arrive, eager to continue their fight. "Seems like Walhart's not too eager to escape.." Chrom said, staring at him on his throne. "Ja'vassa.. I'll leave you in charge of taking him on. I have a feeling you'll be successful this time." The Khajiit nodded in response, having since recharged his blade. Instead of using a Fireball spell, he would wield Dragonbane along with Harkon's sword. Once the battle had begun, the Shepherds made quick work of the opposing army. With Say'ri once again meeting Cervantes in battle while Ja'vassa found himself confronted with Excellus.

The swordmaster's battle would go about the same as the last, though she found herself having considerable more luck this time. Ja'vassa hadn't hesitated to approach Excellus, a grin spreading across his face. "Ah, I was looking forward to when I could finally cut you down." He said, pointing Dragonbane towards him.

"You think you can so much as scratch me, idiot?" Excellus retorted, using the Bolganone spell. Unfortunately, he was a little too late. To avoid the spell, Ja'vassa used the Whirlwind Sprint to avoid it. _"Wuld... Nah Kest!"_ He shouted, rushing towards the opposing mage with incredible speed, his blades pointed directly for his opponent's vitals. He sunk his swords deep into the tactician, smirking. "Like I told you back at the Demon's Ingle.. you and I are nothing alike, I am leagues ahead of you." Ja'vassa reminded him, slowly removing his swords from his dying enemy. Sheathing one of his weapons, he would cast a Soul Trap spell on Excellus. "Oh, don't worry. I'll visit you next time I'm in the Soul Cairn."

Slowly, the life faded out of Excellus' eyes as he had fallen. "But.. I-I don't understand.." Was all he could mutter before he'd pass away. Ja'vassa scoffed, wiping the blood off his swords. "How pathetic.. I don't understand how this army was so successful with this idiot." He muttered to himself, his focus back on Walhart. After making his way to the Conqueror, Ja'vassa glared at him. "You and I have a match to finish, friend. Only one of us will be leaving here alive, why don't we see who the tides of fate favor, hmm?" He asked.

"You're a most commendable adversary.. I've never seen anyone who could match me in combat, much less defeat me." Walhart praised the Khajiit, a true smile on his face. "However, this time will be different." Now that they had once again finished speaking, they'd get ready to face off.

Ja'vassa would use the Dragon Aspect shout to enhance his abilities. _"Mul... Qah Diiv!"_ He shouted, being surrounded in an ethereal set of armor. His strength now matched the Conqueror's, and along with his incredible speed, this battle wouldn't be as close as the previous. In an effort to knock him off the horse, he had used the Unrelenting Force shout as well. _"Fus... Ro Dah!"_ And with that, a powerful blast of energy was fired off, being more than enough to get his enemy on the ground.

Ja'vassa's swords clashed against Walhart's axe. "I am inexorable!" The Conqueror proclaimed, slowly pushing the Khajiit back. "You are strong, but compared to the likes of Miraak or Lord Harkon, you're nothing." Ja'vassa retorted as he found an opening. "It's time you joined them in the after life!" After dropping Dragonbane, he had quickly employed the use of an Incinerate spell, causing Walhart to stagger back before he'd be struck with a stab from Harkon's sword, the blade being plunged deep into his chest. Blood splattered the mask Ja'vassa wore, the once pristine floors now stained in the fresh crimson liquid.

As Walhart fell back, Ja'vassa had sheathed his swords. "And now, that makes two Emperors I've killed.. at least this one put up a fight." He sighed softly, turning to the others. It appeared after the fall of the Conqueror, the remaining Valmese soldiers had quickly surrendered with Chrom ordering his forces to cease their fighting. It would seem now, the war in Valm has finally come to a close and now, all that was left was the prevention of Lucina's dark future.


	22. Our Future Children - A Hero is Born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though Walhart was defeated and his army remained in shambles, the Shepherds were far from done in Valm.

As the group would make their way for the Valm Harbor in order to return to Ylisse, they had found themselves passing through a small town. The pleasant atmosphere was a nice change of pace considering their recent battles. "Ah... just take a whiff of that air.. so clean and pure." Ja'vassa said, sighing happily. Chrom smiled, nodding in agreement. "Maybe we'll be able to get a real meal here." He replied as he approached a food shack. Though, instead of being welcomed with a friendly smile, the proprietor had backed away nervously. "I-I'm sorry, we're closed for today. C-Come back another time!" He suggested, closing the door on the prince.

Chrom blinked in confusion. unsure of what to think of this. This would go on for quite some time; even Lucina, Robin, and Lissa had received similar treatment. Fortunately, they'd receive an explanation from Frederick soon enough. "Milord, I've done some scouting around the area and have learned of some bandits posing as you and the other Shepherds. It seems these criminals have been ransacking the area for months now.." He explained. An annoyed sigh escaped Chrom's lips, "I guess we'll need to take care of this. Any idea where they're going?" He asked his lieutenant. Frederick nodded in response. "I've reports they're heading for the north, milord."

"Father! Chrom! Chrom! I've just got finished with my-- _*oof*_ \--patrol, sir!" The energetic girl said as she stood up again. Her 'father' shook his head at her, "Try to be more careful, girl.. Now, what did you see? Anything interesting?"

Cynthia nodded, her cheerful disposition turning into something a little more serious. "I've heard reports of brigands wandering the area, their leader masquerading as you, Father.. taking the name of the great Chrom for himself, it makes me so mad!" She growled, steam practically shooting out of her ears. Ruger shook his head, sighing at her. "Calm yourself, girl... and remember what I told you about saying that." He paused, thinking of his plan. "Let's keep moving forward, we don't have the manpower to fight them, unfortunately."

Cynthia nodded at that, "Right! I'll lead a diversion and distract them while you retreat!" She said excitedly. Ruger nodded at the plan, "Good idea. I'm counting on you, Cynthia." He said, watching as the true Shepherds had begun approaching.

The young pegasus knight grabbed her spear, prepared to take on the lot of them herself. "Prepare yourselves, imposters! You'll pay for taking the name of milord for yourself! Now, you can either drop or draw your sword! One way or another, you'll be answering to my spear!" She spoke in a heroic, triumphant voice.

"Hey, Chrom.. I think you need to be the one to deal with her. You might be able to get through to her." Robin suggested, looking towards the prince. Chrom nodded in response, approaching the girl with his weapon drawn; he had no intention of actually fighting her, rather he just wanted to talk with her.

"Stay your weapon, girl. You've been deceived!" Chrom said, hoping she'd listen to him.

"Spare me your lies, fiend!" Cynthia retorted, raising her spear. "Only a coward would dare take the name of my father!"

Suddenly, it had begun making sense to him. "Father?" He sighed, shaking his head. "How many other daughters do I have in the future?" He asked her. "I'd assume you came here along with Lucina, Nah, and the others, right?"

Though Cynthia was just about to attack him, the mention of Lucina got her to stop. "Wait.. Lucy's here? Nah is as well?" She asked, her eyes scanning the battlefield, eventually landing on the two. "Huh... I thought that guy was a little suspicious.. my real father would've hugged me and called me his little pega-pony princess!"

Chrom flushed in embarrassment as he heard that, "Oh, gods no... do I really become that way in the future? I sincerely hope I never said that.."

Cynthia nodded confidently, "You'd better if you want me to believe you!" She insisted.

"It's.. it's good to see you.. my pega pony princess." Chrom greeted, feeling a little awkward now. Though, his daughter only smiled happily at that. "It's good to see you too, father!" She giggled softly. "Now... it's time kill that lying dastard! How dare he deceive an innocent girl?!"

"Yep.. she's definitely Sumia's child.." Chrom muttered, laughing softly. Now that the misunderstanding had been cleared up, he'd properly join the battle. Him and Cynthia would take care of many of the opposing forces, making for an incredible duo to watch. While the girl was rather clumsy, she displayed the same grace and finesse her mother boasted. Eventually, the two would reach Ruger.

Without any warning, Cynthia had rushed at the man who had been deceiving her. "You'll pay for this, Ruger! You've deceived an innocent maiden and tried to have my real father killed!" She growled, her spear pointed towards his chest. Before he even had a chance to defend himself, he had been impaled. "None.. none of this would've.. happened.. if I was born.. a prince.." Ruger muttered, soon dying as a result of his wounds. Cynthia smiled, nodding in approval. "That'll teach you." She huffed, placing her hands at her hips triumphantly.

With the battle behind them, the enigmatic hero would join her family in an effort to catch up with each other. Lucina had shaken her head, "You've always been a little too trusting, Cynthia.. though, I guess that isn't a bad thing. I'm just glad we could bring you to your senses."

Cynthia giggled softly, "You know me, Lucy! I could never turn down the chance to be a hero!" She said happily, smiling towards them. Sumia and Chrom sighed softly, relieved that she's okay, though they weren't necessarily prepared for her energy. "Hey, uh, Cynthia.. do we have any other daughters we are unaware of?" Chrom asked in a half joking tone. Fortunately for him, both of his kids shook their heads in response. With the energetic hero by their side, the Shepherds had grown slightly, ready for whatever might come their way.


	23. Our Future Children - The Theatrical Swordsman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before they could return to Ylisse, the Shepherds had one more newcomer to recruit.

With Cynthia joining the group, they had plans to return to Valm Harbor to do some much needed rest and relaxation before their next battle rolled around. As they walked, Lissa and Lucina would kill time by simply talking about the future. "So, uh, Lucina... what am I like in the future, if I'm still around?" Lissa asked, obviously curious.

Lucina smiled before replying. "Well.. for one, even amongst the despair and destruction, you're a beacon of warmth and kindness for everyone around you, your smile helped calm plenty of people during those troubling times."

Lissa's cheerful smile only grew wider as she listened to her niece. "Heh, I suppose I need to continue working if I'm to outdo the future me! Though, I have to know.. does Morgan have any siblings?" Her curiosity only continued to grow larger as she asked the questions.

Once again, Lucina would nod in response. "She does, a brother named Owain. He's a good person, though he's a little... energetic. If you thought Cynthia was excitable, then you better prepare yourself for him."

The answer was both a little comical and a little frightening, "I.. I see.. I'd imagine he gets that energy from Robin, huh?" Lissa asked playfully. "Regardless, I can't wait to meet him."

Just a short distance ahead of them, a small village had found itself under attack by a vicious group of bandits, looking to take anything shiny and then torch it in the end. "Alright, wench.. where's the gold? We know it's here." The bandit leader said, crossing his arms.

Gulping slightly, the maiden took a step back. "There's no gold here, never has been. Honest, I promise you!" She said sincerely, looking fearful as an axe wielding ruffian approached her. As if on cue, a distant voice could be heard. "Leave her be, you vile bandit!" An unknown voice called out, though he couldn't be seen due to the glare of the sun, the sword he held up could be seen thanks to the shiny reflection off the blade. "If you wish not to be destroyed, then you will leave this village at once! Otherwise, face the wrath of my sword hand; for once it hungers for battle, there is no stopping it! This is your one and only warning, villains!"

The bandits and the threatened maiden stared at the theatrical warrior with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Alright.. you'll die later, miss. The actor comes first." The ruffian said, quickly making his way towards the enigmatic swordsman.

"I tried to warn you." Owain said, running towards the bandit. " **Radiant... Daaaawn!** " He shouted, cutting down the bandit with little trouble. Still in disbelief, the maiden smiled. "Thank you, warrior! You saved my life!"

Owain nodded, smiling. "No need to thank me, ma'am. Justice is a thankless task." The bandit leader was still slightly confused. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

"You ask my name? I'm glad you asked!" The warrior replied, raising his blade. "I am the scion of legend, a ray of light for the dying future, the vanquisher of evil... **I am Owain!** " He spoke in a confident, slightly excitable and cocky tone.

Gecko rubbed his brow, "You.. you are an idiot. Regardless, men! Grab anything that sparkles and get out of here! Make for the hills!"

As the fiasco went down, Chrom and the rest of the Shepherds watched with just as much disbelief. They've seen some crazy things, but that was... different. Ja'vassa chuckled softly, "He sort of reminds me of Cicero.. the jester was a theatrical little idiot himself.." He admitted, turning to Chrom. "He's skilled, but I doubt he'll be able to take out the group on his own. We need to help.

The prince nodded in response, "Maybe we'll figure out who this guy is and perhaps we'll see if we can't recruit him. The Shepherds could use someone of his skill." He suggested.

With his orders, the Shepherds soon joined the fight. Lissa had made her way to the theatrical warrior. "Hey! You seem to be doing well despite being on your own." She greeted, smiling towards him. Owain's eyes widened as he saw her. "No way... mom?!" He questioned in response.

This effectively brought the sage to a standstill. "I'm sorry.. what did you just call me?" Lissa asked, blinking in confusion.

In response to that, the yellow clad warrior held up his hand, revealing a ring similar to his mother's. "I'm your son, from the future." He explained, smiling towards her. "I'd assume Lucina had already told you about our world."

Lissa nodded in response, "Yeah.. she did. She's here with Morgan, as well as Nah and Cynthia." She confirmed, "Though, perhaps we should save this conversation for after the battle." She suggested, sending a bandit reeling with a powerful Thoron spell. Nodding in agreement, the future child had quickly joined in on the battle.

Eventually, this bloody clash between Shepherd and bandit would come to an end with the heroes coming to a victory. Unfortunately, it seemed Owain had gotten lost. "Ugh.. it wouldn't have killed him to say goodbye before he left?" Lissa whined, huffing. Before she'd say too much else, it would seem a bandit had survived the ordeal and was quick to threaten the defenseless princess.

"Alright, sweetheart.. I'm gonna need you to hand over your valuables or I'll be taking that pretty little head of yours." The ruffian threatened, waving his axe threateningly. "S-Stay away from me!" Lissa ordered, standing back.

"Stop right there, scum!" Owain ordered, "No one will hurt my mother, not while I'm around! **Sacred Stoooones!** " He shouted, cutting down the brigand. "Hmph.. that'll teach you to mess with the mother of Owain.

Lissa sighed in relief, smiling at Owain. "Thank you, son.. I would've been a goner otherwise... um, Owain.. your arm... it's.. it's..." She stuttered.

"What? You mean my sleeve---" Owain would quickly be interrupted. "No! I mean, that! That thing on your arm!" Lissa exclaimed, staring at the brand on his arm. "Oh? You mean this thing? Yeah, it's my Brand.. the one carried by those of House Ylisse, like the one worn by Chrom and Lucina. I know yours never surfaced, but this is proof of our lineage.. you should've seen it when you discovered mine for the first time. You were simultaneously laughing and crying for like an hour." Owain admitted, smiling at her.

Lissa laughed in an embarrassed manner, quietly rubbing her forehead. "I... I would've hoped I'd stop with the crying thing by then." She admitted sheepishly. Owain laughed softly, "Well... even so, your smile and warmth remained as a beacon of hope for many of us, myself included.. you've inspired many of us to become heroes." He assured her. Unable to help it, Lissa blushed and smiled at his answer. "Come on, let's return to the others. I'm sure Lucina and your sister would be happy to have you aboard." She suggested, receiving a nod from Owain as he followed behind her.


	24. A Return to Tamriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the defeat of Walhart, Ja'vassa had been given a chance to return to Tamriel to reunite with a few of his close friends.

Now that the group had finally finished their work in the continent of Valm, it was time to finally prepare for the long voyage back home. Though, seeing as the sun had begun dipping below the clouds, Chrom had given the orders to set up camp for the night, feeling it'd be much easier for the group if they had left at full strength. Within less than an hour, the camp had been set up and everything went as smoothly as they normally would. Once it was time to finally sleep, much of the army retired to their tents. Ja'vassa had done that, though he was having difficulties sleeping for some reason. In an attempt to clear his head, the Khajiit had gone for a walk in the nearby forest.

Shortly after he had left the campsite, he had found himself face to face with a familiar... ally. Just like when he left Tamriel, a horde of disembodied eyes and tentacles formed around him. _"Your progress is most impressive, Dragonborn."_ He greeted, his metallic voice sounding as foreboding as always. _"You've done well so far in the task I've assigned to you... and your progress in this world is swift. Most impressive indeed."_

Unable to help it, Ja'vassa was a little suspicious as to why his master had appeared suddenly; usually, this was to ask for a task to be done. "Thank you, milord. What do you need of me?" He asked, his tone sounding as calm and cautious as always.

 _"As a result of your progress, I wish to lend you some aid from Mundus.. from those you trust and care for. I would send you back to Tamriel to find those allies and bring them back here until I deem your task complete."_ Hermaeus Mora explained.

Ja'vassa was taken back a bit, though he nodded in response. "I accept.. though, let me inform Chrom first.. I think he'd appreciate knowing before one of his top soldiers disappears for who knows how long." His master would allow him to do so. _"I will collect you in an hour, do not hesitate to inform your leader."_ And with that, the Daedric Lord had disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Ja'vassa already knew who he wanted to bring back to Ylisse; his fellow Winterhold mage J'zargo, shaman of the Skaal Frea, and of course, his fellow Volkihar Vampire Serana. He had rushed back to camp, fortunately finding that Chrom was still awake, seemingly having the same problems he was.

"Ah, Chrom. I'm glad to see you are awake." Ja'vassa said as he approached him. "I need to inform you of something."

The prince looked to him, slightly confused. "Ja'vassa? What's on your mind, friend?"

"My Lord has requested I briefly return to Tamriel for the next few hours.. My task here has been progressing smoothly and he wishes to lend me allies from back on Tamriel. I believe they will most definitely be helpful in our cause." The Khajiit explained. "I can assure you that you can trust them. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I should likely return before we return to Ylisse."

The explanation was satisfactory for Chrom as he nodded in response, "Right.. make sure you come back soon, no doubt Nah and Nowi would be heartbroken if you just disappeared."

"I would be stupid to leave my wife and daughter behind." Ja'vassa replied, soon heading off for the forest. After returning to where he had last spoken with the Prince of Fate, his master had returned. _"If you are ready to return to Tamriel, read your Black Book and you shall return to Apocrypha."_ Hermaeus Mora ordered, watching as Ja'vassa did just that.

After returning to Oblivion, the Khajiit quickly made his way back to Tamriel. "Ah... feels like it's been an eternity since I was last here.." He muttered, seeing as he was already on Solstheim, he figured his first task would be to meet with Frea. Due to their mutual respect for each other's skills in combat, as well as Ja'vassa's help with the Skaal Village, they've been able to develop a relatively strong bond, so he was confident that she'd go with him.

Eventually, he had arrived at the Skaal Village. "Damn.. I forgot how cold this place was.." He muttered, approaching Frea. "Ah, Shaman.. it's been a long time, hasn't it?" He greeted, a smile crossing his face as he approached her.

"Where have you been, Dragonborn? I was starting to wonder if you were even alive anymore." Frea greeted, standing up to meet him in the middle. The Khajiit rubbed the back of his head, "It's.. it's a long story, but I don't have time to explain. I need your help with something. If you can, please meet me at White Ridge Barrow in a few hours. I'll explain everything I can there." Ja'vassa replied, hoping she'd agree.

Normally, Frea would've declined if this was with anyone else, but seeing as Ja'vassa was a mostly honest person, she accepted. "I will go to the Barrow at once, Skaal-Friend. I hope this will be worth the journey." With her agreement, he nodded at her. "I think it will be.. I need to visit the mainland to speak with a few others before I meet with you at the Barrow." And with that, the two parted ways.

As quickly as he could, Ja'vassa would make his way to Raven Rock and then back to Windhelm with the help of the Northern Maiden. That's when it clicked; while he and J'zargo were good friends, he remembered someone else that could provide far more help than his fellow mage. Rather than heading to Winterhold like planned, he instead made the trip for the Throat of the World. Another couple hours would pass before he arrived at High Hrothgar, his entry into the ancient monastery catching the attention of his old masters.

Master Angier had been the first to approach him. "Welcome back, Dragonborn. I was beginning to wonder where you had gone. Your Thu'um had mysteriously vanished one day and suddenly, it's back without warning." He bowed towards Ja'vassa, his respect remaining true despite the lengthy absence.

"It's.. a long story. I found myself fighting in... yet another war in another world, one beyond Tamriel.. and possibly beyond Oblivion and even Aetherius itself. I've been there for the past two years and I'm scheduled to return soon." Ja'vassa explained, rubbing the back of his head. "It's probably better that I return as soon as possible.. I've got a wife and kid waiting for me there."

The Greybeard nodded at him, "I'm surprised to hear you have a family.. and even more surprised to hear of this new world. For what reason do you have to return to High Hrothgar?" He asked; he normally didn't question the Dragonborn, but admittedly, he was curious as to the occasion.

"I'm here to speak with Odahviing. I believe he'll provide plenty of help for my allies in our coming battles. Is he still here?" Ja'vassa asked, hoping it wasn't a wasted journey as he didn't really feel like walking to the border of High Rock, only to have to trek all the way back near the border of Morrowind.

"Yes, your Lieutenant has been faithfully following Paarthurnax since the day you disappeared. Both of them have been anxiously awaiting your return." Angier confirmed, much to the Khajiit's relief.

"Perhaps once this war is over, I'll be able to return here with my family. I'll have plenty of stories for you and my loved ones here." And with that, Ja'vassa would make the trek up the Throat of the World, coming face to face with his old allies.

"Drem Yol Lok. Greetings, Dovahkiin." Paarthurnax greeted, landing on the old word wall near the edge of the mountain. As the Dragonborn did with Angier back in the monastery, he had given a brief explanation to both Paarthurnax and Odahviing regarding his disappearance before he'd get straight to the point with his Lieutenant.

"It's been a long while since we've fought at each other's sides, Odahviing, and that's partially why you need to return to Solstheim with me.. specifically at the White Ridge Barrow as soon as possible." Ja'vassa paused, "Though perhaps to make it easier on both of us, I'll need your assistance.. First, we'll need to head out to an old castle on the border of High Rock. I'll give you the directions to the place... and then we'll return to Solstheim."

With that in mind, both him and Odahviing would take off, making their way for Castle Volkihar. After arriving, he had entered the castle, sighing in relief to see that not much has changed since he was last there. Serana was the first to notice him, "There's no way... Ja'vassa?" She questioned as she approached him. "Where in Oblivion have you been? You just up and disappeared without saying so much as goodbye. I was worried you had been killed." She admitted.

Ja'vassa rubbed the back of his head as he had once again explained the story, one that Serana found difficult to believe, but was still interested in visiting. "If you're wanting to come with me, we need to leave now. I believe my allies will be leaving the port soon." The Khajiit suggested, receiving a nod from his friend. With the final ally recruited, him and Serana climbed onto Odahviing's back, heading off for the White Ridge Barrow. Once at the ruins, he would begin his explanation.

"Now, I'm sure all of you are wondering why I brought you here." Ja'vassa started, pacing near the entrance of the ruins. "I know you won't approve of it, Frea.. but, I was given a task by Hermaeus Mora to collect the secrets of the world I wound up in. I had no intention of getting involved in the wars I did, but it just happened.. Now that I have a wife and kid there, I need as much help as I can to protect them. We've got one more battle ahead of us, though I'm not sure we'll come out victorious. That's why I called upon the three of you. You have each been valuable allies before.. Serana, with your help against Lord Harkon and our subsequent adventures.. Frea, with your help against the Miraak Cult and our subsequent adventures.. and of course, Odahviing.. the one who helped me defeat Alduin. I believe you three will provide substantial amounts of help. Once the battle is won, you three are free to return to Tamriel." He explained, receiving nods from each of them.

Serana and Frea looked to each other, both unsure of what would happen. "And what about you? Would you return with us?" The vampire asked in response.

"I don't know.. if my wife and daughter are willing to return to Tamriel with me, then I will. Otherwise, I'm staying there." Ja'vassa replied, hoping the answer would be okay with them.

A few more moments of silence commenced between his allies before they eventually nodded. "Sure, I'll come with you, Ja'vassa. Been too long since we've traveled together." Serana confirmed, eager to do some more traveling with her friend.

"You've risked your life to save the Skaal.. you've been a good friend to us and so, the Skaal shall be allies to you. I will join you in this coming battle." Frea chimed in, hoping to repay the debt her people owed him.

"You've proven your Thu'um to be worthy of leadership and I shall follow until the day you die." Odahviing stated, seemingly nodding at his master.

Ja'vassa smiled at that, climbing onto Odahviing's back. "Climb on and we'll head to Apocrypha." He suggested, watching as the other two climbed on. Once they were ready, he had again opened the Black Book, bringing them with him to Apocrypha.

"Hermaeus Mora, I've returned with my intended allies!" Ja'vassa proclaimed.

 _"Excellent work, Dragonborn. Like you did when you first left, step through the portal. I will bring you and your allies back when the time has come."_ The Daedra replied, watching as the quartet entered the portal.

It was already daytime by the time they arrived in Valm, but unfortunately, it was long past the time the Shepherds were supposed to leave. "Damn.. we'll need to fly and hope we'll be able to catch up to them." Ja'vassa said, soon ordering Odahviing to take off again. He flew in the direction of the Valm Harbor, fortunately it had seemed the group had waited for him to return.

Nowi was the first to notice the crimson dragon approaching. "Chrom! I think Ja'vassa has finally returned!" She shouted excitedly, watching as the dragon landed. Once the Khajiit climbed off the dragon, he was tackled down by his wife. "Heh.. you certainly know how to make an entrance, Ja'vassa." She greeted, allowing herself to be lifted up as Ja'vassa stood back up.

Chrom and Robin would also approach. "I would like to introduce you to my allies.. Frea, Serana, and Odahviing." Ja'vassa said. The humans would approach their new companions. They had quickly greeted one another and would board the ship. Serana smirked, looking towards the manakete in Ja'vassa's arms. "I'm honestly surprised to see you in a relationship, Ja'vassa. You always told me that no one could hold you down." She teased.

"Well, that was true until I found her." The Khajiit replied, rolling his eyes at her. Nah would soon join the party, though this only received a confused look from Serana. "I'd like you to meet my daughter as well, Serana." Ja'vassa said, pulling his girl in for a hug.

"There's no way she's your daughter.. you were only here for two years." Serana said in a confused tone.

Both the husband and wife laughed at her confusion. "It's.. a long story. Nah isn't from this timeline, she comes from the future. The Nah of this timeline hasn't been born yet." Nowi explained, smiling towards her now napping daughter. For the remainder of the trip, Ja'vassa and Serana would just talk between each other, hoping to catch up on all the time they've been separated. Frea on the other hand was busy talking with the other Shepherds while Odahviing tailed the ship, flying behind them. It was nice to have these relaxing moments, as it wasn't likely they'd have many more in the coming days.


	25. An Unwelcoming Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Shepherds returning with high spirits, something would, as usual, get in the way of their cheerful smiles.

With the war and the sidestops a thing in the past, the Shepherds would finally make their return home in an effort to prepare for the final chapter of what seems to be a never ending battle. After finally returning to the Plegian shores, Chrom would meet with a messenger from the nation's king. "Sire, King Validar would be very interested in speaking with you as soon as possible. He wishes to get word on what happened in Valm, and he also wishes to give you something. Please make your way to the castle as soon as you're able." The messenger said, bowing towards the prince. Chrom nodded at him, "Let me speak with my men and we'll begin heading off." The messenger nodded at him, soon heading off again.

Ja'vassa had approached the prince next, "Chrom.. I'd watch yourself. I've noticed some armed soldiers watching us in the shadows.. I don't know if they're with that Validar or if they're just bandits, but I'd watch yourself." The Khajiit suggested, his eyes scanning the area surrounding them. Chrom had nodded in response, though he had expected something like this as he's been on edge ever since they've returned to Plegia. "Shepherds.. be on your guard. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but.. just be careful. I don't want to return to Ylisstol with anyone to bury." He said to his soldiers, unsure of what to expect.

After a rather tense walk through the castle courtyard, Aversa had come to greet them. "Ah, welcome back, milord. The King has eagerly been waiting to hear the news of your victory in Valm. Please, right this way." She suggested, leading them to the throne room.

"It's good to see you've made it back in one piece, Prince. It appeared that the Emperor was just full of hot air, hmm?" Validar greeted as the group entered.

Chrom nodded in response, "Yes.. fortunately, we had plenty of help out there." He paused for a moment, looking towards Robin briefly. "We need to return to Ylisse as soon as possible, so I'd like to wrap this up quickly.. I was told you had something you wanted to give me?" He asked, though he'd soon regret this.

The Plegian King scoffed in response, "Such impatience.. an insulting lack of courtesy and graciousness. Such eagerness to complete the Emblem is... dangerous. The people of this land know this pain all too well."

"Pain? You mean when the Fell Dragon was defeated by the Exalt centuries ago?" Lucina asked, gulping slightly.

This received a glare from Validar, "Of course, Intruder..." He paused, clenching his teeth. "You.. you aren't supposed to be here, interloper! You need to be destroyed.. as with the rest of those children brought with you. However, I could see to it that you remain alive, so long as you hand the Fire Emblem over to me."

"Are you insane? You'd think after all that we've gone through, I'd just give it to you?" Chrom retorted.

"I had expected you to say that, Prince." Validar raised his hand, "Guards, seize them! Take the Emblem and make sure there's nothing left to bury!" He ordered.

Robin was the first to jump into action, "Chrom, everyone.. this way!" He suggested, heading towards what he assumed to be a possible escape route.

The sultry steward chuckled softly, "Impressive... seems Robin's far more clever than we presumed.. having an escape route all figured out like that."

"Hmph, if he had half my wits, he'd know that there's nothing they can do to alter the inevitable." Validar scoffed in response.

Thanks to Robin's escape plan, they had managed to make it a pretty fair distance from the throne room, though they had unfortunately been stopped by approaching guards. Chrom had unsheathed his blade by this point. "Let's keep moving forward, take out anyone who tries to stop you!" He ordered, doing just as he said. Little by little, the Shepherds managed to push against the Plegian forces, slowly but surely making their way back towards the courtyard.

Thanks to these efforts, they had managed to do away with the guards, leaving nothing but empty space between them and freedom. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be as easy as they would hope as Validar would warp back in with a bright flash of light. In an effort to slow the prince down, the King blasted him with a powerful spell.

"No matter how fast you run, you may never outrun your fate, little Prince." Validar taunted, "Now, I'll give you two options.. you can give me the Emblem and keep your lives or you can refuse and I'll just take the Emblem from your corpse. Your choice."

Though clearly in pain, Chrom stood his ground. "It's going to take a lot more than some empty threats for you to take it from me."

"A fair answer, my friend.. however, I won't be the one taking it from you." Validar replied, turning to Robin. "My son.. would you mind doing the honor?" He asked, soon using another spell to weave his influence into the mind of the tactician.

Robin would clutch his head in pain, his vision becoming hazy as the voices swirled in his mind. "Tch... g-get out of my head.. you.. you-" He grunted, stumbling slightly before a bright flash of light enveloped the group. Without any warning, Robin attacked the prince and stole the Fire Emblem from him. Before he'd return to normal, Validar already had the Emblem and inserted the final Gemstone, Sable.

"Heh.. well done, my son. With your help, I've finally restored the Emblem to its former glory." Validar smirked, clinging onto his prize. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a god that needs reviving.." And with those final words, he had warped away to the ritual site.

"Damn it..." Chrom slammed the tip of his blade into the ground. Robin stood still, clutching his head. "What... what did I do? I.. uh.. Chrom?" He asked shakily, "I-I-I'm so sorry.. I.. I don't know what happened.."

Chrom grabbed the tactician's arm, "Worry about that later, we need to get out of here immediately." He ordered, receiving a wary nod from Robin.

After fleeing for what seemed to be hours, they had finally found a safe spot to set up camp for the night. "Why didn't you leave me behind, Chrom? I can't be trusted after what I just did.." Robin asked, gulping slightly.

"Enough, Robin. Worry about retrieving it for now." Chrom suggested. "You can fight him, he wasn't able to completely control you. We'll be able to use to our advantage."

"Weren't you listening to anything I said? I.. I can't be trusted." Robin argued, though he was quickly shut up again.

"The deed is done, the least you could do is try and help retrieve the Emblem before it's too late." The prince retorted, receiving a defeated nod from Robin. "Right.. I'll do what I can."

Later that evening, Robin had found himself wandering a short distance from the campsite, trying his best to push the memories of what happened to the back of his mind. Fortunately, Lucina would come to help with that. "Mind if I have a word with you, Robin?" She asked, a serious look crossing her face.

"Of course, what can I do for you, Lucina?" Robin asked, trying to push the funk away for the time being.

"I.. I want to speak with you about my father and some of the memories I had when I was little... before, you know.. before he died. I was always told that he was a kind and just man, courageous and brave even when his back was against the wall." She spoke with a rather nostalgic tone, a distraught smile on her face.

Robin couldn't help but smile, "From the day I've met him.. he's been an incredible friend and leader. I can see how much you love him, though of course, we all love him." He responded.

Lucina gulped slightly, hesitating as she drew Falchion, pointing it towards the tactician. "Please.. please forgive me, Robin. I don't want to do this, but I've no other choice. Please stay still, I'll make this as swift as possible." In response to this, Robin's eyes widened as he watched the tip of her blade stare him down.

"Care to explain what you're doing, Lucina?" He asked with obvious nervousness in his eyes. "Have I done something to upset you recently?"

The girl quickly shook her head in response, "No.. but, in my future, you were the one who murdered Chrom. He had been killed by his closest friend in my time, and based on what I've seen between you and my father, it's clear who that was.." She paused, getting into a fighting stance. "Please.. just don't resist. Don't make this any harder than it has to be. If you hold any love for my father..." Her voice fell as tears pooled up in her eyes.

The tactician was silent for a moment before he nodded, "Right.. I.. I accept your judgment, Lucina. My life is yours." He paused, smiling towards her. "Just promise you won't let Chrom... or my family do anything stupid while I'm gone?"

Lucina's lips quivered as the tears fell, "I promise.. I'll do what I can. Now, please.. hold still." Though before she could deliver the killing blow, Chrom would interrupt them.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Lucina?" He asked sternly, "Lower your sword."

The princess shook slightly in surprise, her sword remaining in place. "F-Father! I.. I can explain!" She replied frantically.

Chrom's face became a bit more serious. "I heard everything, Lucina. You underestimate the faith I have in Robin, no future can change that. I know he'd never kill me, or anyone else here, willingly. We've held through together during the good and the bad, whenever I had fallen, he was there to catch me. Our bonds have only strengthened.. we've changed the course of destiny already and we'll do it again." He explained, looking towards the surprisingly relaxed Robin before returning his gaze to his daughter. "Now, lower your sword. I will not ask again."

Reluctantly, she complied and nodded. "Yes, Father.. I just pray that your trust doesn't get you killed again. I cannot bear to lose you a second time." Lucina replied, sheathing her holy sword.

"We should get some rest, we've got a long day ahead of us." Chrom suggested, leading the two back to camp. Though shaken up from the day's events; Robin found himself soundly asleep in his wife's comforting arms while Lucina had fallen into a rather restless sleep.


	26. The Deadlords

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet another battle has started, this time against a group of powerful, ancient warriors.

Following their morning march, they had finally arrived at the Dragon's Table, though what they witnessed was anything but a welcoming sight. Rows upon rows of strange people, none of them even responded to any of the Shepherds when they were spoken to. "These people.. they remind me of the Daedric cults.. as if they're in prayer or preparing for sacrifices." Ja'vassa said, staring at the blank, empty look in the eyes of the hordes of Plegians. Regardless of what they were doing, it was definitely unnerving. Trying their best to ignore them, the group would approach the table with determination clear on their faces.

Aversa watched them with a playful smirk, "Ah, seems your precious little boy and his friends have finally arrived." She said in her usual seductive sounding tone. Validar would nod towards his steward. "Indeed.. do what you can to delay them. Spare Robin, though do what you want with the others. They're excess baggage at this point." The sorcerer ordered, turning to leave for his final preparations.

Before he could leave, Chrom and the other Shepherds had shown up. "Validar! You've gone far enough! Return the Emblem and we could end this insanity!" The prince ordered, ready for a battle. Though his words were sincere, the King would only smirk in response to those words.

"Hah! I don't think you understand what's going, my friend. We're all aware of how this story ends, fate's final destination cannot be changed! You may change its course, but the destination is always the same. Were you so eager to meet your fatal destiny? Surely you realized what would happen when you got here, right?" Validar said, laughs escaping him in between his sentences.

"You're wrong, Validar. We'll change this destiny and write our own fates! Each of us have our own desired endings! Everything we've gone through.. each of us will see to the destinies we write, not something you've made up!" Robin injected, his tone ringing with hope and enthusiasm.

His father smirked in response, "My, my.. you've certainly got a strong will, my child. If only you were wiser. Yes.. I can see your merry band of friends. The Ylissean royals, the Feroxi Khan.. the intruders and the outsider. Unfortunately, that rousing speech of yours will do nothing to alter your fates. You cannot change destiny, just face it."

"We've done it before and we'll do it again, we'll do it as often as we need to." Chrom retorted.

It was Aversa's turn to speak up. "Do you mean your victory over the Mad King? Or the conquest over the Conqueror? Those were all meant to happen, ordained by the threads of destiny. Take Emmeryn's death for instance, you merely delayed the inevitable.. you merely changed the method of her death, but either way, she was sent to the gods." She explained, the smirk remaining on her face.

"But.. her execution was Gangrel's desire, not yours.. not Validar's.. not Grima's." Frederick argued, his usual stout tone wavering slightly.

"You're not very bright, are you? Every action was planned out.. he was but our puppet in the end. The war, and later Gangrel's death, led to chaos in Plegia.. it drove the people to the Fell Dragon, and even as we speak, it feeds on their life force. Soon, Grima will arise again." Aversa smiled a bit more, "You know, Walhart also wanted to stop the Grimleal.. he wanted to prevent the rise of Grima. His conquest over Valm wasn't simply for the sake of conquering it, he hoped to unify an army large enough to prevent the Fell Dragon from resurrecting. You have our thanks for stopping him, Shepherds."

Chrom's eyes widened at that, with their help in Valm becoming clear to him. "That's why you donated your vessels and funds, but not any people.. send us to delay or stop Walhart and save for the faithful for this."

Validar had turned to his steward, "It is time for the final preparations. Keep them occupied for the time being." He ordered, soon heading off again.

"My master is not to be disturbed, but don't worry. I've brought a few friends to keep you entertained." Aversa motioned for the twelve, powerful looking Risen behind her. "Meet the Deadlords, twelve incredible generals that were renowned in life, but in death, they grow stronger. Unfortunately, they aren't much for chatter. Please, don't hesitate to greet them." She suggested, making her way to block the entrance to Validar's chambers; in front of her, the Deadlords would approach.

"Shepherds, arm yourselves to the teeth. No matter what, we can't let them win this!" Chrom shouted as he unsheathed his blade. There were only twelve undead warriors to deal with; in order to make the situation manageable, the strongest of the Shepherds would each face one of the Deadlords while the other units merely provided backup. Chrom, Robin, Ja'vassa, Nowi, Lucina, Cherche, Frederick, Serana, Frea, Cordelia, Sumia, and Flavia were each assigned to one of them all while Odahviing had been tasked with ensuring no one else invaded their fight.

The battle was long, wrought with difficulty and bloodshed. Ja'vassa had been the first to defeat his opponent, and now that he was free, he'd go to confront Aversa. "I'll admit.. that friend of yours was quite the impressive warrior. I've fought the undead plenty myself, but none have given me that much of a challenge." The Khajiit said, clearly ready for another battle; this time, he had wielded both of his enchanted war axes. "I'll admit that this isn't the first time I've fought against some apocalyptic dragon."

The dark flier chuckled at him, a smirk remaining plastered on her face. "Is that so? Perhaps you could share the experience before I send you to join Grima?" She asked. "Your allies are clearly gonna be busy for a while, so why not chat for a little while?"

"It's nothing too special. As Dragonborn, it was my duty to face off against Alduin, the World-Eater. Had I failed my battle, Tamriel likely would've been destroyed. Following his demise, I just continued my travels.. my work with the Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, and Clan Volkihar went just as normal." The Khajiit explained, "Though, I grow weary of talking. We're in a hurry here. Let's just see who your fate favors, hmm?"

Seeing as the woman was a skilled magic user, Ja'vassa had switched to a dualcasted Thunderbolt spell. Soon, the clash of magic would begin; both shot off powerful blasts of magic, but fortunately for the Dragonborn, he had some unexpected surprises. He'd use a Frost Breath shout in order to slow down her movements. _"Fo... Krah Diin!"_ He shouted, unleashing the icy energy towards his target. It did just as he had hoped it would; it had slowed her down enough for him to land a well timed Thunderbolt. Unfortunately, before he could move in to finish her off, he would be interrupted by a Deadlord; specifically the one that had been fighting Nowi.

This caused him great concern; if she had won the Risen wouldn't be bothering him now. He had managed to temporarily fend off the undead warrior, only to notice his wife lying on the floor, in a death-like stillness. His eyes widened in horror, "Nowi!" He shouted, doing what he could to move past his opponent. Unfortunately for the group, Aversa had managed to make her escape. Though, Ja'vassa didn't care; he was only concerned with ensuring that his wife survived the ordeal.

With the last of the Deadlords being slain, he was quick to rush over to her. Though she was bleeding heavily, it didn't seem her life was in danger. Propping her in his arms, he had used a Healing Hands spell on her, closing the wounds that decorated her body. "Nowi.. are you alright?" He asked softly, brushing her cheek. The manakete weakly smiled at him, nodding. "Yeah.. I'm fine, thanks to you. I just... I don't think I'll be much use in the next battle." She said softly as she cuddled close to her husband. "Please stay with me, Java.."

Ja'vassa nodded, "Of course.. I wouldn't dare abandoned you." He assured her, turning to Chrom. "I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to hang back for the coming battle. I don't dare risk leaving Nowi behind in this condition, even if Odahviing is watching over her." Fortunately, the prince was rather understanding.

"Don't worry about it, you focus on keeping her and yourself alive. We'll deal with that Validar ourselves." Chrom assured them, turning for the building ahead of them.

"You all better come back here with the Fire Emblem and your lives. I won't let our struggle be in vain, you hear me?" Ja'vassa said, giving both the prince and tactician a stern look. "Of course, we'll be back soon. Hang tight, Ja'vassa." Robin assured him, nodding as the group entered Validar's chambers. It would seem their final battle would soon be upon them, though none were quite sure of what to expect.


	27. Robin's Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After months of questioning his past and who he was prior to Chrom finding him, it seemed Robin finally has his answer.

With Ja'vassa's group remaining outside to guard the entrance, Chrom and the other Shepherds hurried on inside to deal with the new king of Plegia. "Chrom, before we reach Validar, I've.. I've got a request to make of you. Don't worry, I'm not asking to be left behind, though that was a tempting thought." He started.

Chrom turned to him with a inquisitive look. "What is it, Robin?" He figured that this might be their last battle together, so the least he could do was grant this request.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to fight against Validar, but there's a chance he might be able to overcome me.." Robin paused, gulping softly. "If.. if he manages to take control of me, don't hesitate to cut me down. I know I'm asking you to do something difficult, but think of all the others here. You have a duty to protect them, even if that means cutting me down."

The prince froze in response to the request, though he wanted to argue and tell Robin to shut up, to tell him that such a thing wouldn't happen, but in the end, he knew that the tactician was right. "I.. I'll do it if I must, but you had better damn well fight against that dastard. I don't wanna go to my sister and try to explain to her that I murdered her husband."

Robin would nod in response, smiling at Chrom's answer. "Of course, I'll use every ounce of my will to fight against him. You can count on it."

After they had finished their conversation, they would continue on their way with the journey coming to an end when they finally came face to face with their foe. Validar smirked as they approached him. "It seems Aversa has failed me.. no matter. I'd assume you and your friends are quite eager to meet the Fell Dragon himself. Grima himself will take center stage tonight and you will personally have a front row seat to witness the rise." He proclaimed proudly, "The Table is set and he's sure to have a bountiful feast tonight!"

Chrom shook his head, "You idiot! Grima will bring nothing but death and destruction, neither you nor Plegia will be safe! Lucina witnessed it first hand!" He warned, but to no avail.

"Then I pray tonight's show will live up to her claims. The Exalt isn't the only one who can tap into the Emblem's true power. I'll use it to finally bring Grima back to the realm of the living." The king said, returning to his altar. "I unfortunately lack a single, key ingredient.. I need a mortal vessel. Fortunately, you saved me the trouble of finding one." He added, smiling towards Robin.

The tactician's eyes widened as the realization hit him, "You mean me, don't you?" He asked, gulping softly.

Validar would nod in response, "Of course, my son. You carry my blood. You carry the blood of the Fell Dragon. For centuries, the Grimleal have prayed and worked for the perfect person... my father was not worthy... my father's father wasn't worthy.. not even I was able to accept the sacred gift. But, you. You were perfect! If it weren't for your traitorous mother.. in her weak and frightened heart, she stole you and fled. She prevented your chance to obtain godhood. No matter, you are here now. You can still be joined with the Fell Dragon's might." He proclaimed.

Robin began to get increasingly more nervous as he listened to Validar. "No.. there's... there's no way. I.." He stuttered, stepping back slightly in fear. He looked to the back of his hand, the one that carried on the back of his hand. "I've.. I've always wondered what this meant, but it seems I have my answer.. I.. I had no idea I was so important to you." He admitted. "However, I have no desire to become this god of yours. If you truly want to use my mind and soul so badly, you'll have to win it!" He added confidently, grabbing his silver sword. "My life didn't start with you, or with Grima. It started on the day that Chrom found me."

In response to that, Validar had grabbed a tome. "There is nothing I can do to you that Grima can't fix. You cannot avoid your destiny, my child." With a brilliant flash of light, massive barrier had been formed; separating Chrom and Robin from the rest of the Shepherds. "So long as the barrier stands, it'll be just us. No one will come to your aid when I rend the flesh from your bones."

The two exchanged a glance. "Let's do this, Robin. Let's take out this dastard. You're one of us, forever. No fate will change that." Chrom said.

Robin nodded in agreement. "I'm with you the entire way." He replied, staring his father down.

Meanwhile, back outside, Nowi had mostly recovered from the attack and stood back up. "Java.. let's head inside. They need our help." She suggested as she picked up her Dragonstone.

Ja'vassa stood up with her, "Are you sure about this, love? You've barely recovered.." He reminded her. In response, Nowi offered a confident nod in response. "I'm sure.. it's not right that we sit outside while our friends fight for their lives. We need to be right there with them." She pumped her fist, ready for another battle.

"I'm right behind you. Odahviing should be able to handle any incoming warriors. Serana and Frea are no doubt doing what they can to help Lissa and the others." Ja'vassa replied, deciding to unsheath both Dragonbane and Harkon's sword. "Let's go, Nowi." And with that, the loving couple would make their way to join up with their allies.

Back inside, the battle was already underway; Grimleal and Shepherd alike traded blow for blow in a desperate struggle. Chrom and Robin were locked in a deadly duel with the tactician's father, though it seemed they were slowly taking the advantage, much to Validar's disappointment.

"Tell me, Robin... why would you trade away godhood?" Validar asked, firing another blast of dark magic. "Why would you throw away your chance at immortality for these lowly worms? These frail, insignificant bonds of yours... they're nothing in the grand scheme of things."

Robin dodged the magic blast, returning the attack with an Arcfire. "I couldn't ask you to understand, I doubt you would understand. When you've..." He paused, firing off another attack. "...been risking your life with people for as long as I have, you tend to find yourself rather attached. I have no desire to hurt them or anyone they care for." After he finished speaking, he had managed to strike down the king.

"Augh!" Validar shouted as he stumbled back, "Foolish servants of Naga... you cannot unwrite what... has already been written!" He grunted, falling to the ground. In a last ditch effort to take them out, he had fired off a blast of magic. Fortunately, Robin had managed to push Chrom out of the way, but had taken the full power of the attack.

Robin was pushed back several feet, collapsing as a result. "Hey! Are you alright?" Chrom asked, helping him back to his feet. "At long last, our battle is finally over.. Validar has been defeated.." Though Robin was listening, he had found his friend's voice fading out as a searing pain flared up in his head; his eyes becoming bloodshot as voices swirled in his mind. The prince look to him with concern, "What's the matter, Robin?" After he spoke, it was as if the world had come to a standstill; silence filled the room as Chrom noticed a bolt of electricity sticking out from his abdomen. No longer bloodshot, Robin stared at his hand in horror, watching the remnants of the spell crackling in his hand. Chrom stumbled back, "Please.. don't.. don't blame yourself. Take the others.. and get out of here, now." He ordered, soon collapsing to the ground. 


	28. The Fell Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gangrel, Walhart, the Deadlords, none of their enemies have compared to this new threat.

Staring at the scene in horror, Lucina had clasped her mouth as tears pooled in her eyes. Everything she had sacrificed, all the hardships she went through to ensure this very scenario would happen failed. "Father... no.. no! I.. I failed you again.." Her breathing sped up as she stared towards a remorseful looking Robin.

In the background, the weakened Validar was laughing at the sight. "It's as I've told you time and time again. You may divert its course, but destiny arrives all the same. Whether you try to run from it or run towards it, you cannot change the destination." He reminded them. Do you see how frail these pathetic bonds are, Robin? How easily they're broken? You could've spared them by joining the Fell Dragon, but now you can watch as they're killed off one by one.."  
  
Robin's lips quivered, unable to mutter so much as a word after what had just happened. Lucina on the other hand, had since fallen to her knees. "Everything I've done.. All of those sleepless nights.. They were all for naught." She slammed her fist into the ground, though soon a familiar sounding voice boomed through the halls.

"Hah! I thought I'd never get here!" The voice bellowed as Lucina turned to the source in confusion. "No way... it can't be..." She said in surprise, watching as Basilio emerged from the shadows. "I'd love it if you stopped rambling on about this destiny crap, it's admittedly becoming quite annoying." He said as even Validar stared at him in surprise.

Lucina shook her head once she got over her surprise. "B-Basilio? How.. I.. I heard you died in Valm?" She questioned.

"I was playing dead, though when you're facing a monster like Walhart, it really isn't too hard to do that." Basilio explained, "Your warning gave me all the courage I needed to be a coward. I owe you, Lucina. Thanks to you, I'm still alive." This caused Lucina to smile ever so slightly.

The Plegian mage had merely scoffed in response, "Hmph, so you've managed to cheat death. You think that changes anything, Plegian fool?" He asked, glaring towards his foes. "Besides, even if you didn't die back in Valm, you can always die here!" He added, laughing a bit.

"For a smart person, you really can be an idiot, Validar." Basilio taunted. "You're not nearly as strong or even as clever as Walhart.. For example, it still hasn't been tricked. Everything that's happened here, Robin's seen in a dream. This very battle, the Gemstones.. Everything. He knew full well that bringing the real Gemstones would be long swinging a savory, juicy steak right in front of a starving bear."

This caused Validar to laugh, "Quite the tale, my friend. I've had your every move monitored since Carrion Isle, no one besides Chrom has even touched the Gemstones." He responded, a confident laugh escaping him.

"That's true, but you weren't watching the dead ones, were you?" Basilio asked in response, grinning. Validar's eyes widened in response to his question. "Ah, it's starting to sink in, ain't it? Seems your destiny wasn't as sound as you made it out to be... such a fate changed up all with a simple plan. It's a shame, eh?"

The dark mage clenched his teeth, clearly getting increasingly frustrated with the turn of events. "You idiots... none of that matters anymore! Chrom is dead! The Emblem is in my possession! You have lost! You cannot---AH!" He grunted as Robin fired off an attack. Validar stared at his son with a pained, surprised expression; the shock on his face only grew as Chrom stood up.

"F-Father? You're alive!" Lucina cheered, her smile widening as she watched Chrom.

The prince grinned and nodded, "Robin was gracious enough to weaken the strike.. Admittedly, I'm glad he's on our side. He'd be a pain to fight." He replied, laughing softly.

Validar grunted, his expression growing angrier with each passing second. "Damn you! Damn you all! I won't.. I can't let all of this be for nothing! I don't need the Emblem to kill you!" He had since readied a spell, though he was once again interrupted with an attack; this one coming from Ja'vassa.

Chrom grinned, "Ja'vassa! Nowi! What are you two doing here?" He questioned, the smile never leaving his face.

The Khajiit returned the grin, "You don't honestly think we'd sit back and let you hog all the glory to yourselves, did you?" He asked playfully. "I think it's time we put down this old bastard once and for all."

Seeing as he was surrounded, Validar quickly warped away to another section of the room, protected by his Grimleal followers. Now, part two of the battle would get underway. Basilio and Flavia both grabbed their axe and sword respectively. "Like Ja'vassa said, it's time we finished him off! Chrom, Robin.. Guide our blades!" Flavia called out, soon beginning her assault. The battle with the Grimleal was relatively short, but hard fought and bloody. Robin had taken on Validar, ultimately defeating him in a magic fueled battle. As the dark mage fell for the last time, he glared at Robin. "Why... why would you.. squander your birthright... for these.. worms? My life is yours, Grima." He muttered, finally releasing his final breath.

With the battle coming to a close, Chrom wore an excited grin as he jumped joyfully. "We did it! It seems our destinies aren't as solid as he made it out to be!"

Unfortunately, the celebration would be cut short as the hierophant arrived, "He was such an eager pawn." He said, shaking his head slightly. "Your fates are coming soon, you've merely altered the course.. Though, destiny always favors its original course."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked, clearly nervous around this strange doppelganger.

"Chrom will still die at your hands, or rather, at my hands." The mysterious figure said. "If it weren't obvious already, I am you, Robin... or more precisely, I am you from another timeline. The one where you murdered Chrom and ultimately became the Fell Dragon. Those dreams of yours? Those were my memories. We share these memories because we share the same heart, the same blood; the blood of Grima." He explained, a smirk growing. "Your... recollection if you will, began the moment I entered this world. My attempt to merge our beings together ended up wiping your memory and unfortunately caused me to lose a significant amount of power."

Robin stared towards him, confused and unsure of what to think. "The voice... the visions... it was because of you."

The future Robin nodded in response, "In order to ensure my future was secured, I had returned alongside Lucina. If Validar had been killed during Emmeryn's assassination attempt, history would've been rewritten and I would've ceased to exist. It was necessary for me to intervene. All that's left is for you to become Grima. Join your might with mine and we'll become a god!" He added, hoping to attract his past self to his side.

The present Robin tilted his head slightly, "We're not the same yet, are we?"

"Unfortunately, no. You were supposed to accept Grima's power and feast on the bountiful sacrifice laid out at the altar. Unfortunately, you choose your pathetic band of friends.." He sighed, shaking his head. "No matter, if you won't take it, I will gladly do so in your place." A dark aura surrounded the future Robin as he raised his hands. "Hah! Watch as the Fell Dragon rises again. Watch in horror and helplessness as your destiny approaches!"

Backing away slightly, Robin was quick to make a run for the Fire Emblem; he knew that this was the only way they'd have any chance against Grima, though his faith in his tactics and his group's abilities was being tested at this point. Though Chrom and the others weren't entirely sure what Robin was up to, they had decided to flee as well, fearing what might happen should they be caught up in the future Robin's transformation.

Back outside, the Shepherds watched in horror as the Fell Dragon arose; a massive beast the size of a small mountain. Ja'vassa's eyes widened, "Dammit.. How are we supposed to fight something like that? Gods, look at the size of it!" He shouted, admittedly quite nervous with this. "We can't just outright engage him, he'd kill us all!"

Chrom nodded, grinding his teeth. "If we still had the Emblem, then we might have a chance, but... it's buried in the rubble." Falchion quivered in his hand.

Robin smirked at them, "What? You mean this Emblem?" He asked, handing it to a surprised Chrom. "I stole it from you already, the least I could do is steal it back."

The prince laughed, "Hah! You sly dastard! We need to reach Mount Prism to complete the Awakening before Grima catches wind. Let's get going, Shepherds!" He ordered, running off in the direction of the location he mentioned.


	29. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to combat this new threat, the Shepherds are going to need help from the Divine Dragon.

Much to the group's surprise, the journey to Mount Prism was rather uneventful. What was more surprising was the calming, relaxing atmosphere that surrounded the area. The air was clean, the landscape was pure and unscathed, untouched by the flames of war that have dominated the realm for the past couple years. Lissa sighed softly, smiling towards the clear skies above them. "It's almost as if our battles we're nothing more than a bad dream." She said with a soft giggle. "I almost just wanna fall back and take a nap, it's so soothing here."

Unfortunately, they wouldn't have a chance to do so quite yet. Ja'vassa's ears perked up and his hand went down to the handle of one of his war axes, "I'm afraid your nap will have to wait, milady. We've got company..." He warned her. "Risen are on their way." He had pointed towards the incoming undead soldiers.

Lucina's eyes widened in confusion. "What?! This place was supposed to be sacred.. How could they infiltrate this place?" She asked, turning to her father. "You think they might be linked to Grima?" To this, Chrom had nodded in response.

Drawing Falchion, a determined look crossed his face as he raised the blade. "Shepherds, to arms! We must drive these Risen away as soon as possible! We cannot fall here!" He shouted, rushing at the undead closest to him. The others with him also joined in on the battle, cutting down as many as they could. Fortunately, though the Risen had the advantages in numbers, it wasn't enough to take down the determined Shepherds. One by one, the undead army had fallen and finally, there was finally some time for Chrom to do what he had come to do.

Lissa gulped softly, "You had better come out of there alive, brother.." She ordered, receiving a nod from Chrom. "I'll be back, I promise." He assured her, heading towards the Altar.

With his blade unsheathed and the Fire Emblem raised towards the heavens, the Exalt would speak up. "Lady Naga, hear my call! In the name of my Exalted Blood, I call upon the powers of the Divine Dragon so that I may be baptized and cleansed in your fire!" He called out, hoping that this all wasn't in vain. Soon, a brilliant blue flame would engulf the prince. Pained grunts escaped from Chrom as the blaze hit him, though he stood strong, refusing to give up in such a critical moment in the war.

"Welcome, Exalted One. You have overcome great obstacles, and bear a kind and righteous heart. A heart worthy of my blessing. Falchion strengthens along with your desires to become stronger." The Divine Dragon said, her voice sounding as calm and serene as she looked.

Chrom smiled at that, beyond happy that this Awakening ritual was a resounding success. "Does that mean... does that mean I've the power of the gods myself?" He asked, watching as Falchion began to glow.

Naga had shaken her head in response, "I am no god, Exalt. Mankind may call me the Divine Dragon, but know that I do not have the power to create or destroy, and neither does the Fell Dragon." She started, "However, with my blessing, you have been able to draw Falchion's true power and with it, your strength rivals my own. With the blade, you may be able to put Grima back to rest."  
  
Though Chrom was ecstatic to have his signature weapon upgraded, others were a bit skeptical. Frederick especially as he raised his eyebrow. "Put him to rest? Can we not permanently destroy him?" He asked, fearing that all they've gone through to that point was for nothing.

"It would be through his own power, though he would never do so out of his own free will. Returning the beast to sleep is the best outcome you can hope for. There is little time for talk now, you must hurry to Origin Peak. You will face the Fell Dragon there.. When the time comes, I will join my power with Falchion and the world will finally be rid of Grima until the next generation of Grimleal bring him back." Naga explained, receiving nods from those that listened. 

The group was understandably nervous; this battle was so much bigger than taking out the Mad King, fighting off the Conqueror, or petty squabbles with random bandits on the roads. This very well determined the fate of their world; they could be successful and save it, or they could fall and watch as the world they loved burned to the ground. These thoughts dwelled within the heads of many of these hopeful warriors as they marched on towards their destination.


	30. Aversa's Final Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Awakening ritual a success, the group has run into another roadblock, an old foe in the beautiful, sultry Aversa.

After days on the road, they had finally arrived at the volcano as Naga instructed. "Here we are..." Chrom said, gulping as he looked towards the mountain peak. "Grima awaits us.. Be swift, Awakener. Remember the power I gave you cannot permanently destroy him." Naga replied.  
  
Robin had interjected this time, "Right.. It can only put him back to sleep.." He sighed as the Divine Dragon nodded.

"Correct, Fellblood." She said, "Perhaps your powers will be useful in the coming battle, they're not unlike my own."

Robin had soon fallen into a brief silence, trying to figure out his plan of action for the great battle coming up. "To defeat Grima permanently, he'd need to use his own power against himself.." He rubbed his chin, "Hmm.. if I'm of the Fellblood, then perhaps my own power should be enough to destroy him, correct?" He asked Naga.

She was silent for a moment, though she soon nodded at him. "It's possible, though do be wary about this. You and Grima are linked, should you slay Grima, your own life will also end... but, this might be the only way to permanently defeat the Fell Dragon." She explained.

Everything sounded good to Chrom up to that point, though he turned to Robin who was nodding in response to what the Divine Dragon saaid. "I understand.. I'm ready for whatever comes next."

Naga would nod in response, "You've made plenty of powerful ties in the world, perhaps they'll be able to overpower Grima's ties to you.. it's possible those bonds you've made will be enough to spare you, but the chance of this happening is slim. You'll almost certainly cease to exist, Robin." She warned him, though this did little to discourage the tactician.

Chrom bit his lip, "No, no, no.. there's gotta be some other way. We can't lose Robin too, we've lost enough---" He was quickly interrupted by his friend.

"I appreciate the concern, Chrom... but, just look at what's at stake here. It's one life compared to millions." Robin reminded him, "I know you won't approve of my final decision, but.. If I'm to spare future generations of this pain and misery, it has to be done. I'm sorry, my old friend. There is no other choice." He said to Chrom, soon turning to Lissa. "I know our time together has been brief, but I hope you know that I've loved you with every bit of my heart, this will not change even after the battle."  
  
The Ylissean princess chose not to respond, instead she had thrown her arms around Robin, sobbing softly. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to her husband quite yet, especially not like this.

Ja'vassa had soon spoken up, shaking his head. "You're either the bravest person or the biggest fool I've ever met, Robin, but I respect that out of you. You're making the choice most people would be too frightened to make. I just pray the gods preserve you once the battle is over with." He said to the tactician. "For Lissa's sake, I hope you make it out of it alive."  
  
Robin merely nodded at him, "I won't make any promises, though regardless of the outcomes, I'm glad to have met all of you. If Chrom hadn't found me back there, I don't know where I'd be now.." A smile crossed his face as he spoke. "Thank you all for making the last few years enjoyable."

Though the final conversation was fairly delightful, they would be interrupted by the approaching Grimleal. "Be swift, Awakener. Grima's followers will harass you until he is no more. I cannot offer help until you engage the Fell Dragon directly." Naga said, hanging back to watch the ensuing battle.

Near the base of the mountain, Aversa had been resting on her pegasus, a soft smirk on her face. "Oh? You Shepherds are persistent to say the least, though have you not seen what awaits you? Grima has returned! Your struggle has been for nothing! Your end is near.. But, don't worry. I've got a kiss for each of you, then you can watch as the world you knew burns." Her voice sounded as sly as always, her eyes trailed the group.

Robin already had his strategy formulated by this point, he had turned to the Khajiit. "You had done pretty well against Aversa before, I think you should be the one to deal with her again. If you can strike her down, we can finally focus on Grima himself." He suggested. "As for the rest of us, we'll need to focus on keeping the Grimleal aways from Ja'vassa.. This'll be the hardest fight so far, but we can't stop yet, we have to press forward."

The others nodded in response, "Ah... it was a good thing that Hermaeus Mora granted me the chance to bring my allies from Tamriel. Odahviing and Durnehviir together will no doubt make a frightening pair." Ja'vassa said, turning to Nowi. "Next time we meet, love, you had better not be in a pool of blood." He said to her, receiving a nod and a quick kiss from her. "After this is all over, we'll need to take a nice, long rest.. Maybe I'll be able to bring you back to sample Eastmarch's hot springs."

Once the battle had officially begun, Ja'vassa had summoned Durnehviir through the use of the Shout. With the help of his allies, reaching the sultry dark flier was fairly easy. "Aversa, I believe you and I have a score to settle." He said, pointing Harkon's sword towards her. "This time, there won't be any interruptions."

The smirk on her face widened slightly, "Oh, if only Validar would've found you first.. You would've made such a wonderful ally. You had so many opportunities, you could've helped us recreate the world." She said to him.

The Khajiit scoffed in response, "Admittedly, had we met first, I might've joined you.. I've done some horrible things in my life, but now that I've got a wife and daughter again, I'll do anything to ensure they survive. I doubt the Grimleal would've been too welcoming of their runaway slave." He would soon launch his first attack; his blade clashing with Aversa's lance. "I grow weary of talking to you, I'm going to finish you off!"

Blade against blade, spell against spell; once again, the two proved to be an incredible matchup. Fortunately for the Dragonborn, his friends were doing well to fend off the waves of Grimleal. "I just can't wait to see Master Grima turn you into one of those mindless Risen. A powerful, incredible specimen turned into nothing more than a puppet. Even if you win here, you cannot change destiny. Grima will have the final victory!"  
  
Ja'vassa scoffed again as it seemed he'd land the finishing blow, sinking his sword deep into her chest. "Destiny is what we make of it. I am in control of my own; no god... no dragon... no man. I have the final say in it." He slowly pulled the sword away from her. "Our stories will not end here, but unfortunately, yours will." He added, watching as she fell from her mount. "Chrom, Robin! Aversa has fallen! It's time we took the battle to that overgrown bastard!" He shouted to them, though was quickly silenced at the sound of Grima's deafening roar.

Lucina's eyes widened, "Grima approaches!" She shouted, turning to Chrom. "We can do this, friends! We must defeat him!" The prince responded.

Frederick gulped slightly, "But, how? Where do we strike? Can mere men even hope to take down such a beast?" He asked Chrom.

Naga would instead speak up, "I can send you to the Fell Dragon's back, but then the rest is up to you. Strike the nape of his neck, though this weak point will be guarded by his servants. Strike fast and strike true, and you'll find yourselves back here soon."  
  
Chrom nodded at her, "We'd ask for nothing more.. Shepherds, friends, our battle ends today! One way or another, the war ends here!" After he finished speaking, every last Shepherds and ally had been transported to Grima's back, with Robin's doppelganger standing on the nape of the beast's neck, a smile plastering his face.


	31. The Bonds that Strengthen Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much pain and sorrow, so much death and destruction, and so much uncertainty has led to this moment. The battle that'll determine the fate of their world.

"This is it, Shepherds. Our final battle... we'll either defend the future or we'll die trying, no matter what happens. Everything rests on this last stand." Chrom raised Falchion, pointing it towards the smirking doppelganger.

"Though I've told you time after time again, you cannot change destiny! You merely prolong the inevitable!" Grima said, sighing a bit. "I suppose entertaining myself with one more battle won't be too much of a problem. Come, I'll show you just how powerless you pathetic, frail mortals are!" He was quick to fire off a powerful blast of magic, severely damaging the Shepherds and their allies.

"W-What in Oblivion was that?" Ja'vassa asked, falling to his knees with everyone else. "No way... his magic.. It's... too strong. Is this... is this where it ends?" He had used his blade as a makeshift crutch, holding himself up with it.

In the distance, Grima cackled at the weakened soldiers. "Haha! Now do you see, Robin? Your fate is tied with mine.. You were destined to become one with me! However, I will grant you a choice. If you choose to come with, I'll spare your friends. If you refuse, you can sit and watch as I personally tear them limb from limb. One way or another, you're coming with me." He said, holding both of his hands out; one held a spell in it, the other was empty.

Though weakened, Chrom was quick to speak up. "Don't do it, Robin! You know he's lying! You can't... you can't trust him!" He warned, though it was clear the tactician was deeply confused. It was obvious Grima was lying, but even if there was a chance to save the ones he loved, he'd do anything to do so.

"I will not ask again, Robin. Which will it be? Will you join me and save these worms? I grow weary of waiting." Grima had prepared the spell, ready to fire it towards the Shepherds.

Before his enemy could fire the spell, Robin raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! I'll come with you! Just... leave my friends alone, please." He pleaded, though almost immediately regretted the decision.

The Fell Dragon smirked as a black void surrounded him, "What a noble soul you were, Robin. I can see why the others think so highly of you." The void swallowed the tactician, leading him to a strange, dark realm. "You know, for being so clever, you really can be stupid.. You didn't honestly think I'd spare those worms, did you? Though, I at least spared you the pain of sacrificing them for nothing. I simply can't wrap my head around why you care for these pathetic beings... no matter, our power will be joined soon and the might of the Fell Dragon will be whole once again. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some pests that need to be dealt with."

Though he was severely weakened here, Robin was desperate to fight back. "No... you can't! I won't let you!" He argued, trying to use a Thoron spell, though this proved to be a wasted effort.

Grima scoffed, preparing a spell of his own. "I forget how stubborn I could be, but perhaps I should finish you off first!" He retorted, blasting the tactician with a powerful ball of dark magic.

 ** _"Augh!"_** Robin grunted, falling to the ground as a result of the attack. "No... we've... we've lost. I've no final strategy... no ideas... no cards to pull... nothing. Our struggles... all for nothing." His tone lost all emotion as he spoke, unable to get back up. "I see nothing, feel nothing, hear nothing... nothing at all." He would've continued speaking, though he grew thoroughly confused as he began hearing voices.

 _"You-----"_ The voice echoed. Robin managed to stand up shakily, searching for the source of the voice. _"You have----to keep----"_ It echoed again.

"C-Chrom? Is.. is that you?" Robin responded to the voice.

 _"Fight back, Robin! Remember what you promised me? I'm holding you to it, so keep your damn word and get back here! That's an order!"_ Chrom shouted.

Grima's once proud, cocky tone quickly turned into something surprised and shocked. "What?! This can't happen! You are mine, my will cannot be broken!" He shouted, clenching his fists.

_(For this portion, I'll be listing the character's name first much like it's shown in-game; I won't be using all units, just a handful of them.)_

**Lissa:** "You promised we'd be together forever, Robin! You can't break a promise!"

 **Sumia:** "Come on, Robin! There's work to be done, you can't leave us now!"  
  
 **Nowi:** "We didn't come all this way to see you give up, Robin, come back to us!"

 **Henry:** "Hey, no fair! If I can't sulk around in the dark, neither can you! Return to us, Robin!"

 **Say'ri:** "Robin! You can't leave us until my debt to you has been repaid!"

 **Cherche:** "Minerva would be sad without you, Robin, and so would I!"

 **Ja'vassa:** "You've earned my trust and faith, don't let it be in vain, Robin!"

 **Frea:** "The All-Maker doesn't wish to see you die here, Robin!"

 **Serana:** "After all you've gone through, are you seriously going to let your story end there, Robin? Come back!"

 **Nah:** "We've lost too much already, we can't lose you as well, Robin!"

 **Owain:** "True heroes never back down when the world needs them, father! Come back!"

 **Morgan:** "I've already lost you once, father, I can't lose you again! Please, return to me!"

 **Cynthia:** "Justice always prevails, Robin, just as you always do!"

 **Lucina:** "Your story can't end here, Robin! You've got plenty of work ahead of you!"

As the Shepherds finished their various encouraging shouts, Grima had progressively gotten angrier, though Robin's courage was returning. "My friends... I can't leave them yet. I've got work to do!" He shouted triumphantly.

The Fell Dragon growled softly, "Damn you all! You are all beneath me! I am a god, foul creatures! Pathetic, frail, insignificant worms! I'll see to it that you will all suffer for your insolence! Death will not be swift and painless for you!"

"Come on, Robin! Our bonds are stronger than even Grima's might.. We've proved that time and time again, so let's prove it again!" Chrom shouted, raising his blade.

Robin's smile grew wider, "I'm coming, my friends! Let's end the dastard once and for all!" He responded, soon returning to his friends. "Sorry I took so long, Chrom. Let's do this!"

As the tactician returned to the rest of the Shepherds, Naga had made her appearance. "Rise up, friends! I give you my strength, now use it to defeat the Fell Dragon!" She ordered, healing them completely. "Take care of Grima as soon as you are able, his servants will stop at nothing to see you are destroyed. Once he has been weakened, you'll have but a brief moment for your final decision. Choose it wisely." She suggested, once again taking her leave.

Once the battle had truly started, Chrom and Robin exchanged glances. "Chrom and I will take care of the Fell Dragon, the rest of you should work on keeping his servants from getting to us. Ja'vassa's dragon companions should help immensely... just don't give them a chance to fight back!"

The other Shepherds nodded in response, "Right.. You'd better not fail us." Ja'vassa said to them, "Once the battle is over, let's have a feast. I'll see if I can't supply the meat and mead." He and Robin shared a quick fist bump.

"Right, I look forward to it." The tactician replied before turning to Chrom once again. "Let's do this thing."

The prince would nod in response, joining his friend in the final assault on this dastardly dragon. As per the usual, Chrom chose to fight up close while Robin hung back and provided support with his magic. Ja'vassa and the others did just as they were told; they did everything they could to keep the Grimleal away from them.

"Wretched son of Naga!" Grima scoffed, fending off Chrom's strikes with his own powerful magic. "You will be destroyed! Give up and perhaps I'll make your end as painless as possible!" He offered; though he would slowly be pushed back by the determined prince.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term 'give up', I'll take my chances with my sword in hand!" Chrom argued, slashing at Grima relentlessly. "I have a future to protect, and I'll do so until my last breath!"

In the background, Robin occasionally swapped from Thoron to Arcwind, trying to distract Grima where he could. "You'll find we can be quite stubborn, beast. You'll have to tear us apart if you hope to have a chance!" The tactician taunted.

In response to that, Grima turned to him. "You could've been a GOD, Robin! Why would you squander such a precious gift?" He asked, truly baffled with his decision. "All of this power could've been yours! The world could've been yours! Yet, you forsake for these mortals! Why?"

Another Thoron spell was fired off towards the Fell Dragon, "Simple, there's nothing in the world that equals the value of the bonds we share. I don't expect you to understand... I may not possess your incredible power. On my own, I won't amount to much, but when I'm with the people I love, my strength increases tenfold... no, hundredfold!" As he spoke, Robin fired off Thoron with as much energy as he could, this being enough to finally weaken Grima. "Perhaps in one timeline, I was meant to be a god, but I'm afraid it's not this one."

Once Grima had fallen, on his hands and knees, he looked up and glared at the Shepherds. "Pathetic... mortals..." He grunted, clenching his teeth.

"That's it, I've heard enough from you, Grima!" Chrom raised Falchion, ready for one last attack. "I'm going to finish---wait... what are you doing, Robin?" His blade quivered slightly.

Standing in front of Chrom was the tactician, a ball of magical energy swirling in his hand. "I'm doing what has to be done." He aimed the ball towards Grima, "Since I discovered our connection, I've been agonizing over the pain I could've brought to this realm, but for once, I'm glad we share the same heart, Grima. Now I can give my life for those that mean the most to me."

The Fell Dragon's eyes widened; he knew full well what would happen should Robin deal the last blow. "You damn fool! Do you know what will happen to you?! You wouldn't dare strike me and leave your wife behind, would you?" He asked, genuinely afraid of his next answer. One way or another, Grima's reign of terror would end here.

"It pains me to have to abandon Lissa like this, but if I am to spare her and the others of your destruction in the future, I have no other choice." Robin replied, a few tears propping up in his eyes. "Chrom, Lissa.. Thank you for everything. Thank you for bringing me back to Ylisstol all those years ago. I appreciate everything you've done for me." He said to them, soon firing off the spell.

As it struck the Fell Dragon, he along with Robin began to fade away. The tactician waved towards his allies, "This is farewell, my friends. Do me a favor and try to preserve the future for as long as possible."


	32. Clear Skies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Robin's sacrifice, the world and all of its possible futures have been saved from a terrible fate.

"No... no! Robin!" Chrom shouted, reaching out for his friend, though it was all too late as a bright flash of light enveloped the Shepherds, bringing them safely to the grounds of Plegia. "Robin... you... you idiot!" The usual stoic, fearless leader was sobbing; he's lost enough, he didn't want to lose someone else dear to him.

Lissa, Morgan, and even Owain had joined Chrom in mourning. "He... he made a promise we'd be together..." Lissa blubbered, falling to her knees. "Why would he do that?!" She slammed her fist into the ground. "Robin... Robin!"

Morgan had found herself quietly sobbing in her brother's arms, unable to accept the fact that he's gone.

Chrom had since wiped his tears, "No... he wouldn't want us mourning him like this, he'd want us to celebrate what happened. He gave his life to ensure that our world would be spared from future grief. The war is finally over, my friends. The Fell Dragon shall never again rise to threaten our world again. All of you have fought valiantly, my words alone cannot express my gratitude to all that were here with us."

Lissa looked up to him, wiping her tears away. "But... what about Robin? What are we to do without him?" She asked, sniffling softly.

"Dry the tears, sister. Robin's still out there... like Naga said, there's a chance he'd survive if our bonds were strong enough. His bond with you alone should be strong enough to ensure his survival." Chrom assured her, offering a gentle smile.

Drying her tears, Lissa nodded in response, a saddened smile on her face. "Yeah.. I won't rest until he comes home. I'll search every corner of the globe, and even the Outrealms if I have to!" Her usual cheerful, determined tone would soon return to her voice.

_(Much like at the beginning of Grima's fight, I'll be listing the character's name before their quote. Again, I won't be listing all of the units.)_

**Frederick:** "Well put, milord. Some people are simply too strong to just disappear, this could easily be applied to Robin."

 **Sumia:** "Robin... Thank you for what you've done. I promise not to waste the future you've given us!"

 **Nowi:** "T-That idiot.. If he loved us that much, surely he would've known how much we would've needed him. I'll wait a thousand years for his return if I have to."

 **Ja'vassa:** "Robin will go down in history as a mighty hero, one that would no doubt rival Tiber Septim himself... I only wish I could've told him myself."

 **Serana:** "I hardly knew him, yet I can only feel pity for him."

 **Frea:** "His honor and courage were apparent to all, I only wish for the All-Maker to return him to us. His story isn't over yet."

 **Cherche:** "Minerva says Robin's still here somewhere, that delicious scent of his can't escape the wyvern's senses."

 **Henry:** "Aw, man.. You had to bail on us just as I managed to get a great joke together? Come back, Robin! You can't die like that... it'd make for a better story if you died of laughter!"

 **Say'ri:** "Robin will go down as a legend in Chon'sin. He gave us a future and I will defend it with my life. If you can hear me, come back and help me do so!"

 **Lucina:** "We've been through so much... so much pain and sorrow. Robin, please come back! I cannot bear to lose another person I care for."

 **Nah:** "I'll wait for as long as it takes to see you again, Robin. I've got an awfully long time to do so!"

 **Owain:** "My father was a true hero, one I can never hope to rival. I'll defend the future he gave us with my life."

 **Morgan:** "No... not again. Father, you can't leave me! I need you to come back, please!"

 **Cynthia:** "It was as I told him, justice always prevails. Though, I see no justice in his sacrifice. Robin will be back, I know it!"

As they finished their speeches, Chrom raised the glowing Falchion. "Shepherds, friends, allies... we must now work hard to preserve the future Robin gave us. With every ounce of my being, I promise to do what I can to ensure something like this never happens again." He raised his head towards the blue sky. "If you can hear me, Robin, know that you'll always be one of us. Thank you for everything, my friend."

In the days that followed the victory over Grima, the allied forces had mostly split up. The Shepherds returned to Ylisse while their allies returned to their homelands to mend the scars of war. Serana, Frea, and Odahviing had since said their farewells to Ja'vassa and returned to Tamriel while him and Nowi had finally settled down together in the Ylissean countryside. Chrom has traveled with the remaining Shepherds to stamp out any Risen that might've escaped the Fell Dragon's demise. It was during these travels that they would come across a familiar face in a familiar situation.

Chrom and Lissa shared a disbelieving glance between each other as they approached the unconscious Robin. "There's no way..." The princess muttered as she knelt down. "We can't just leave him here, can we?" She asked, watching as Chrom shook his head.

"Of course not, after everything he's done, that'd be cruel of us." He responded, smiling as Robin's eyes fluttered open. "Ah, I see that you're awake now.. Come on, give me your hand." Chrom suggested, taking the outstretched hand. "Welcome back, Robin... it's over now, thanks to you."

Before he could respond, Lissa wasted no time in practically tackling him into a hug, her signature tears returning. "You idiot! Don't ever do anything like that again!" She ordered, holding him tightly. "I'm not spending the rest of my days as a widow, you hear me?!"  
  
Unable to help it, Robin smiled and tightly hugged her. "I'm sorry, Lissa. I wasn't thinking clearly, though now that I have you in my arms again, I know I made the right choice." He said softly, tears of his own flooding his face. "The air seems... so much cleaner now."

Chrom smiled as he watched the scene, "Come now, the others are eager to see you again." With the original group reunited, they'd make their way for Ylisstol to spread the good news. Now that the war was long past them, it was time to focus on healing their minds, bodies, and spirits. Chrom had a family to raise, Lissa and Robin had a family to start, and altogether, life in Ylisse was finally looking upwards again.


	33. A Khajiit's New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the battle against Grima behind and with Ja'vassa's work seemingly done in this realm, it's time for him to choose between the land of his birth and this realm.

A few weeks had gone by since the fall of Grima and things were more or less back to the way things should be. The Feroxis, Valmese, and Plegians that aided in the Fell Dragon's demise had since returned home to begin mending the scars of this devastating conflict while the Ylisseans remained in their own land to do the same. Robin and Lissa finally settled down like they intended to do with them intending to start their family together. Chrom and Sumia were busy touring across the country in order to stamp out the remnants of the war, being fairly successful in this endeavor. Ja'vassa and Nowi had also begun to settle down, though the Khajiit couldn't help but worry for the day that his Lord would call him back to the land of his birth. Unfortunately, or fortunately, it would seem that Hermaeus Mora would come with a message, though he wasn't entirely sure if this is what he wanted to hear yet.

During a short walk in the woods near his home, the Daedric Lord had appeared to him. _"Your progress is swift, Champion. You've done well so far, though your work here is complete."_ The Daedra started, though Ja'vassa's face had fallen slightly. He knew it was going to happen eventually, though he didn't want to think about it, so it was always thrust into the back of his mind.

Regardless, he nodded in response. "How long will it be before you return me to Tamriel?" Ja'vassa asked, hoping he'd at least have a few days with his wife and daughter before they'd be separated.

 _"I'll give you a week before I call for you. Spend your time wisely, Champion."_ Just as quickly as Hermaues Mora appeared, he had disappeared. Ja'vassa sighed softly, wondering how he'd go about asking Nowi and Nah regarding potentially leaving Ylisse for his home in Skyrim. Shaking his head, he'd soon return to the family's home. "Nowi? You here?" He called out as he entered the house. Without any delay, his wife had quickly given him a hug, smiling up at him.

"Welcome home, Java!" She greeted, nuzzling him. Her smile had fallen once she noticed the mellow look on Ja'vassa's face. "Is everything alright, dear? It's not like you to return home with a frown unless something's wrong.." She reached up to cup his cheek, holding him close to her.

"Hermaeus Mora plans to bring me back to Tamriel soon. I do not wish to leave this world without you, but I don't want to tear you away from the friends you've made here." Ja'vassa explained, rubbing the back of his head. "I'll admit I'm at a loss here.. I don't know what to do."

The manakete listened closely, nodding at him. "We made a promise we'd be together.. I'd hope you'd be willing to keep that promise, Ja'vassa, no matter what world we're in. As long as we're together, I'll be happy." Nowi admitted, that happy smile quickly returned to her face. "I'm sure Nah would be just as happy to join us back there as well."

The assurance from his wife was enough to get him to smile in return, "Thank you, Nowi... I appreciate your willingness to return with me." Ja'vassa replied as he lifted her up, "I just hope my home in Raven Rock is still standing in one piece.. Though, that's not important now. Let's go see what Nah has to say."

The two headed upstairs to where Nah was studying; much like her father, she had a love for reading and would often spend much of her freetime reading some of the books that Ja'vassa had collected over his years of adventuring. "Hey, Nah, are you busy?" The Khajiit asked as he entered her room. The girl turned to face her parents, shaking her head. "What can I do for you, father?" She asked as she set the book to the side.

Ja'vassa paused, going to sit next to his daughter. "My Lord is calling for my return to Tamriel. Nowi's already agreed to return home with me, but neither of us wish to leave without you. Do you want to return to the land of my birth with us?" He asked, wrapping his arm around the kid.

Unlike Nowi, Nah was a little slower to answer. On one hand, the idea of traveling to a new world that she wasn't required to save sounded excited, the chance to study the host of material that his homeworld boasted was just a bonus. However, she wasn't too excited about the idea of leaving everything she's known, all of her friends and loved ones, while traversing a world her father has repeatedly said to be an incredibly dangerous world, even for one of her skill levels. She looked up to her father, "Um... how long will it be before I have to make my decision...?" She asked quietly.

"It'll be a week before he calls me back.. However, I could see if I can request extra time." Ja'vassa offered, receiving a nod from his daughter. "Don't rush yourself to come to a decision, sweetheart." He leaned over, softly kissing her cheek.

This caused Nah to smile softly, "You guys will be with me regardless, right?" She asked, receiving a nod from her parents.

"Of course.. I'll find some way to convince my Lord to let me stay. I'm nothing if not persuasive." Ja'vassa assured her, giving her another soft hug.

A few days had gone by since that conversation and Nah had come to her decision, coming to inform her parents. "I've.. I've thought it over, father. I.. I can't leave this place. It's all I've ever known and I don't know if I'd be able to leave the friends I've made here." She admitted softly.

Ja'vassa nodded at her, "That's alright, sweetheart. I'll see what I can do with my Lord. You and your mother should just hang tight for a bit." He suggested. "I'll need about an hour to converse with him. Once I have my answer, I'll come back and inform you both." He said to his family, giving them both a tight hug. "Regardless of what happens, I want you both to know that I love you very much." He pressed soft kisses to their cheeks, soon heading off.

Once in the woods again, he would be approached by his Lord once again. _"Have you made your peace, Dragonborn?"_ Hermaeus Mora asked, though Ja'vassa shook his head.

"I can't leave this world behind. I never intended to get so attached to it, I'm sorry. I've been loyal to you since day one, but I'm afraid today I'll have to defy you." He started, wondering if he'd regret that. "Though, I believe me staying here would be beneficial. With the Fell Dragon gone and people going astray, they'd need a new god to worship. Perhaps in addition to my search for knowledge, I could turn people your way. Surely having hundreds of new followers would be better than a simple Khajiit wandering aimlessly, correct?"

The Daedric Lord would fall silent; Ja'vassa was right, _"You make a strong case. The lure of forbidden knowledge will drive these pitiful people to me."_ He responded, _"Alright, Champion... you may remain here, but I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain. Should you feel the need to return to Apocrypha, read your Black Book and from there, you can return to Tamriel as needed."_ He explained, receiving a nod from his follower.

"Of course, I'll do anything if it means remaining with my wife and daughter." Ja'vassa confirmed, watching as the mass of tentacles disappeared. This time, when he returned home, he wore a surprisingly cheerful smile on his face.

Nowi had matched the smile as he entered, "With that grin, I'd imagine there's good news. So, spill it, Java!" She insisted, giving him her trademark tackle hug.

"Well... Hermaeus Mora granted me the right to remain here so long as I continued gathering knowledge for him. He's also tasked me with guiding people from this world into his worship." Ja'vassa explained, lovingly returning the hug from Nowi. "We'll get to raise our family here like we promised." He added, cupping her cheek. Without any hesitation, the loving couple had shared a long, happy kiss. Their future together had been assured.

After pulling away from the kiss, Ja'vassa grinned at her. "I'm glad to have met you, Nowi. You've made the near endless battles here worth it. Holding you now gives me the assurance I need that I've made the right choice. If there's anyone I'll be spending an eternity with, I'm glad it's you." He placed another soft kiss to her cheek.

The smile on Nowi's face widened as she tightened her grip around her husband, "I could say the same for you. If not for you, I likely would've wound up on the auction block again. Thank you, Java." She replied happily, nuzzling him. "I look forward to the next thousand years with you." With the good news in mind, the two had soon joined each other in their room, quickly falling asleep with the other in their arms, obviously happy with their future together. 


	34. The Harvest Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an effort to reward the Shepherds for their courage in the previous battles, Chrom attempts to treat them to a joyful festival, but as usual, something gets in the way.

Since the fall of Grima, things around the world have more or less returned to the way things should be. For now, the world was at peace; people were rebuilding what they had lost and those that with Shepherds were no different. No longer having to worry about the war, they were able to get their lives on track. Chrom and Sumia were properly raising this generation's Lucina and Cynthia, Robin and Lissa were preparing for the day they decided they were ready to properly start their family, while Nowi and Ja'vassa had been seen going on a number of adventures all across the world. Lately, Chrom had wanted to do something extra special for those that had helped with the defeat of the Fell Dragon; after hearing of an incredible harvest festival going on in the Outrealms, he thought that this would be the best option.

He had commissioned a number of letters, telling them about the festival and that he wished to bring them along. Most of the recipients had joined; Nowi and Lissa were especially excited about it, as both loved going to various festivals. Robin had jumped at it, though Ja'vassa was a little slower. He wasn't usually one for large crowds, but for the sake of his wife, he had agreed to go, if just to make her smile. After a few days, the group had reunited and they made their way for the Outrealm gates. Without much hesitation from the group, they entered the gates and made their way for the one that Chrom had mentioned. The other side of the gate revealed a rather peaceful town with all the amenities one would expect with the festival. Food stalls, beautiful decorations, cheerful patrons, and everything else one would need to ensure the festivities would as desired.

Unable to help it, Ja'vassa smiled softly. "Heh... this place reminds me of the harvest festival back in Whiterun. It was so lively in comparison to the chaos that took over the province.." He said in a nostalgic sounding tone. Unable to help it, his daughter giggled at him. "Did you partake in many festivals yourself, Father?" Nah asked, looking up to him.

The Khajiit nodded in response, "I did, both Kisavi and I often took part in the Burning of King Olaf Festival." He replied, "If I could, I'd love to bring you and your mother to one of Skyrim's festivals in the future."

Nowi had spoken up next, "That'd be wonderful!" She said in an excited tone, wrapping her arms around Ja'vassa's. "Oh, I'm so happy! Our first festival together! You, our daughter, and our friends!" To match the excited tone, she had worn an equally excited grin on her face.

Unfortunately, the excited mood would soon die out with dire news from Chrom and Frederick. "Before we can celebrate, we've got some unexpected guests. Risen have been spotted coming for the festival grounds. What's more, we really aren't equipped for a fight." The prince said, a worried expression on his face.

"You might not be equipped, Chrom, but I am. Let me deal with the Risen, you and the others should worry about evacuating the festival goers." Ja'vassa suggested, using a Bound Sword spell. "A few undead won't be too much of an issue." He suggested, readying himself for battle.

Frederick looked a little worried, "I know you're powerful, Ja'vassa, but we spotted at least twenty of them. You really think you'll be alright?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Of course I'll be fine. The Risen aren't nearly as deadly as the Draugr back home, and besides, I can summon Daedra or call upon Durnehviir if things go poorly. Just focus on getting the citizens away. That's our first priority." The Dragonborn reminded him. He had soon turned to Nowi, "Our celebration will have to wait, love. After they're dead, we'll go and sample everything the Harvest Festival has to offer."

The manakete nodded at him, "Be careful, Java." She suggested, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Though still unsure, Chrom and Frederick had nodded towards him.

"Heh, I'm seriously glad you're on our side, Ja'vassa." Robin said, chuckling softly. "Give 'em hell for us."

With a nod, the Khajiit began his assault, quickly going after the Risen closest to him. The Bound Sword coupled with the Icy Spear did wonders against this undead army, to make things even better, the Risen seemed to be mindlessly walking around. As Ja'vassa fought off the Risen, Chrom and the other Shepherds had gone to work in making sure the townsfolk had gotten away safely. As they did a head count, one of the townsfolk had noted a child was caught up in the battle. The girl clutched a plush close to her as she backed away, one of the revenants quickly approaching her.

With the remainder of the Shepherds too far to do anything, it was up to the Dragonborn to help the kid. "Ja'vassa! That kid's in danger!" Lissa shouted, though she was just hoping he'd make it to her in time.

Much like when Ja'vassa and Nowi first met, the Khajiit had used Whirlwind Sprint. _"Wuld... Nah Kest!"_ He shouted, dashing towards the kid just in time. He had managed to get in front of the revenant's attack, taking it in place of the kid. It left a deep cut across his abdomen along with a painful grunt filling the air. Kneeling down, Ja'vassa kept a pained expression plastered on his face.

"Ja'vassa!" Nowi shouted, both her and Nah looked onward with worry, unsure of what to do at this point.

"You... bastard..." He grunted, turning to face the kid. "You alright?" He asked her, receiving a nod. "Good... stay close to me." Normally in situations like this, healing himself would be his first priority, but now protecting the child took it.

The girl clutched onto his robes, hiding behind him as he prepared his next spell. "You've found yourself to be in a most uncomfortable position, friend!" The Khajiit warned, "Take this, Lightning Storm!" He had soon fired off a powerful stream of lightning, with the spell practically obliterating the remaining Risen in front of him. With the undead now gone and the citizens safe, the Shepherds were able to relax. Nowi and Nah rushed over to the Khajiit, kneeling beside him. "Are you alright, Father?" Nah asked, though she wasn't sure what she could do.

"Don't worry about me, little one." Ja'vassa assured her, using a Grand Healing spell in order to close the wound. "It'll take a lot more than that to take me out." He added, grinning softly.

The girl he rescued had approached him, smiling shyly. "Thank you for saving me, Mr. Kitty." She said softly, giving him a couple flowers as her way of saying thanks. As she ran towards her parents, she had waved to him.

Unable to help it, Ja'vassa happily sniffed the flowers, "Well... now that the Risen are taken care of and with minimal damage, it seems we'll be able to celebrate." He suggested, returning to his feet.

Chrom had approached him, "You're a crazy dastard, Ja'vassa. Thank you for doing what you did. I think you've earned the celebration, take your wife and daughter and celebrate to your heart's content." He suggested, smiling.

"You heard the man, you two." Ja'vassa grinned, lifting up his wife. "Let's go have some fun." Without any hesitation, the trio had made their way for the booths that were slowly returning to normal. Chrom had joined with Sumia and his children, doing the same thing. After the day's events, they were all more than to be returning to the relaxing day like they planned.

After a few hours after wandering the festival, Ja'vassa had decided to separate from his family and rest for a bit, taking a seat on the edge of a small fountain. Joining him would be Lucina, Owain, and Cynthia, who each wanted to talk with him for a little while, not just about the day's event, but they also had a question they wanted to ask.

"Hey, Ja'vassa, can we talk to you for a little while?" Cynthia asked as she approached. The Khajiit nodded, watching as they each sat near him. "I just gotta say, you're an incredible warrior... I'd love it if you would teach me a few things. Seeing what you did out there, even risking your life for a kid that you didn't know. I want to do that. I know Lucina and Owain would love to learn as well."

Ja'vassa raised his eyebrow, "I fear there's nothing I could teach any of you. You're all commendable warriors in your own right." He shrugged, "Though, if you're really wanting to try and learn from me, meet me at the Barracks by tomorrow afternoon. Bring a sword and I'll see what I can do." He added, nodding.

Cynthia smiled gleefully at that, "Oh, thank you! I hope to be a good student for you! I'll work as hard as I can if it means I can become the greatest hero!"

Next Owain had spoken up, interested in learning more of the spell he used. "When you called out your attack earlier, did you just make up the name of it or what?" He asked excitedly.

"Lightning Storm is a master level destruction spell. I'm afraid I'm not as theatrical as you." Ja'vassa replied, rubbing the back of his head. "The sheer power the spell gives me is incredible, but the set up makes it risky to use." He explained, making a few sparks in his hand.

Finally, Lucina had spoken up. "It's incredible how strong you are. I can see why Father put so much faith in you. Who taught you to fight like that anyways? Are you self taught." She asked, curious to learn more.

"My magical and combat prowess came from the training my mother gave me." Ja'vassa said, grinning slightly. "She taught me swordplay, gave me my first lessons in the arcane arts, though my father had taught me how to cook and how to survive in the wilds. Given my years of experience since then, I've been able to grow ever stronger. Later, I met with the Greybeards and they taught me to master the Thu'um, or the Shouts I use, coupled with my own training regime, I've been working to become as strong as possible, so that I'd be second to no one."

This caused them all to look to him curiously, "Why do you train so hard? You already seem to be at the peak... why climb any higher?" Cynthia asked.

"Simple, it's to fulfill the promise I made to my little sister and later to my daughter. I promised them I'd stay strong, so I took upon myself to continue training." Ja'vassa said, his eyes trailing over to Nowi and Nah who were still running around nearby. "And now, it's to protect the ones that mean the most to me."

The others looked towards his wife and daughter, "You really love them, don't you, Ja'vassa?" Lucina asked softly.

The Dragonborn nodded, "They're the only things of value I have left. Nowi helped me turn over a new leaf... she's helped me to become a person my family would be proud of, not the bastard the people of Skyrim feared. Nah would be the first child of mine that's actually mine." He responded.

The princess paused for a moment, "How many people have you killed, Ja'vassa? I don't mean to pry..." She paused again, fearing she'd offend him.

He shrugged in response, "I've lost count. I've killed hundreds, perhaps thousands of people during my time in Tamriel... and then you add the people I've killed over course of war here." He had drawn his Blades Sword, "This sword has absorbed the wrath of innumerable lives, so much so that the blade now has a permanent crimson tint to it."

The trio looked towards each other, with Owain first speaking up. "We've killed plenty since we've arrived here. Does... does it get any easier over time? I mean, back in our future, we mostly fought Risen and very rarely did we kill another person. Even if they were trying to hurt us, we couldn't help but feel guilty over it." He admitted.

"At first, I felt upset with the blood on my hands, but when you've done it as often and for as long as I have, the guilt fades away until eventually, you feel nothing." Ja'vassa sighed, "It does get easier over time, though I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. Only a true monster kills without feeling, the fact you show guilt and remorse after killing someone that had been your enemy shows where your heart lies. Do not let yourself be consumed with grief for what you've done, you did it to protect those you love, though don't do what I did. Don't just... kill for the sake of killing." He suggested, sighing softly.

"Have you ever done that?" Owain asked, "Killed someone for just the sake of it?"

Ja'vassa nodded again, "I have. Multiple times, actually. The latest was my attack on the Dawnguard following the murder of my daughter." He started, "The vampire in me lusted after their blood, to hear them scream with agony. I headed to Fort Dawnguard and murdered every last person in the fort... every warrior, every civilian. It didn't matter to me if they were armed or not, if they were innocent or not, I wasn't going to leave until I could watch them bleed out. After the destruction of the Fort, I'll felt... prideful, joyed by the fact I took vengeance on the group, many of whom likely had nothing to do with Kisavi's murder. Today, the Fort likely is still in ruins, the bodies of my victims buried beneath rubble." He explained, chuckling softly. "There was a reason my name was so feared in Skyrim, I had killed so many."

The three looked to him in surprise, though their faces mellowed into pity as they listened to him, "Was that the reason you came to this world?" Lucina asked, "To try and start over?"

Ja'vassa shook his head, "No, I had intended to just as my Lord requested, but then I met Nowi and everything changed. When I held her for the first time, I felt something in me start to grow. I finally had somebody to protect again, somebody to love again. With her, I was finally able to begin changing my ways for the better. I joined the Shepherds in order to begin atoning for what I've done in Skyrim, to begin protecting the innocent." As he spoke, Nowi had joined them, practically throwing herself at him. He smiled, not even hesitating to hug her. "When I hold Nowi in my arms, I know I made the right choice. Before her, I was positive I'd never move on from Armani... but I'm glad I was able to."

Nowi hadn't said a word, she merely cuddled close to him, clearly just as happy with him. Cynthia smiled towards them. "You two are cute together, I've never seen such an honest love between anyone before. I hope you two have plenty more years together." She said happily, "It's like something right out of a fairy tale."

The happy couple laughed softly, nodding. "Why don't you three join us for dinner? I'd like to get to know you three a little more." Ja'vassa suggested, standing up with his wife still in his arms. The three smiled at the suggestion, standing up along with him, joining him and his family at a nearby table.


	35. Seaside Scramble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the Risen, their attempt to relax at the festival was cut short. This time, Chrom tries to treat them to a beautiful beach vacation, but as usual, something gets in the way.

Nearly a week had passed since the events at the Harvest Festival and much of the Shepherds were looking for a way to make up for what happened at their previous vacation, this time, they had decided on taking a small trip to another outrealm. Today's vacation involved them traveling out to the Beachrealm in the hopes of just relaxing, hoping for no interruptions, no chaos, just rest and relaxation. Nowi was perhaps the most excited to spend the day on the glistening shores, she had practically bounced the entire time. Once they had finally arrived, they were met with a redheaded merchant. "You must be the Shepherds! It's so good to finally lay eyes on you." She said to Chrom, "My name is Anna and I am the proprietor of the resort here. I'm glad that my invitation reached you without a problem." She wore a cheerful smile as she spoke, her eyes trailing across each of them. 

At first, Chrom seemed a little confused, though was nonetheless happy with her gesture. "Thank you very much. The waters look beautiful, we're glad to be here." He replied, smiling towards her in return. 

Anna chuckled softly, "It seems your sorcerers are especially happy to be here, seeing as they've already changed into their swimsuits."  
  
She was right, even Ja'vassa had changed into some swimwear, though it consisted of nothing more than some swim trunks. Unfortunately, before anyone else could get ready for a day under the sun, trouble had begun brewing. Brigands had overtaken the beach, though it didn't seem anyone had been hurt. They merely seemed interested in claiming the beach for themselves, though this was enough to prompt the Shepherds to prepare for battle. While the bandits appeared to be at the shores for nothing more than just claiming it as their territory, the risk of innocent casualties was too great to ignore.

Once again, their vacation had effectively been interrupted with the arrivals of some disaster, at least this disaster was of the living, and this time, Ja'vassa wouldn't have to fight alone. Soon, the group engaged with the brigands overrunning the beach. The battle was considerably easier than what they had faced previously, many of their opponents were smart enough to surrender or flee when defeat was a certainty. Despite the fact that a number of Shepherds had mostly been unarmed thanks to many of them disrobing. After a rather short battle, the opposing brigands had been defeated; those that hadn't fled the scene had been arrested. With the day's chaos done, the group could return to their day of relaxation. Unfortunately for them, the sun had already begun to dip below the horizon.

Anna sighed as she approached Chrom, "I'm really grateful for what you and the others did, but I'm a little bummed that you had to waste your day of fun fighting off those thugs." She spoke in an apologetic tone, rubbing the back of her head.

The prince waved her off, "It's not your fault, besides, we're just happy that we managed to keep them from harming any innocents, so that makes up for it." He assured her, offering a gentle smile.

"You're an odd one, friend. Well, there's still plenty of daylight to be had, you and your group are more than welcome to do as you please. The beach is still open, you can gather some firewood and have a bonfire, and I'd be more than happy to whip up a fantastic dinner for you and your friends. It's the least I can do in return." The redhead offered, wrapping her arms behind her back.

Chrom nodded at her, "Your offer is most kind, I appreciate your hospitality." Once they finished speaking, he went off to join a few others who sat around the fire pit; chatting, drinking, and in general, having a good time. Ja'vassa and his family sat near the shorelines, watching a few others splash and frolic in the glistening waters. Nah leaned against her father, smiling up towards him. "Father, have you ever been to a beach like this? Can you even swim?" She asked curiously.

"I have, though it's been years. Skyrim has beautiful shores up north, though the water is much too cold to really enjoy it. The last time I got to do something like this was the last time I was in Stros M'Kai." The Khajiit explained, "I can, though I'm not a strong swimmer. I prefer to simply relax on the shorelines."

His explanation only strengthened his daughter's curiosity. "Stros M'Kai? What's that?" She asked; Nowi had stared at him with a similar expression.

"It's a small island of Hammerfell, it doesn't really have much to look at beyond the beautiful shores. I had visited in order to search for a plant known as jarrin root. It's an extremely potent and deadly plant that can be turned into a lethal poison, it can only be found on the island. I had also wanted to do some research on an old hero known as Cyrus the Restless, though there wasn't much information on him." Ja'vassa responded, wrapping his arm around the child. "Smells like dinner's ready, why don't we join Chrom and the others?" He suggested, offering the two his hands as he stood up.

The trio had soon joined the others around the campfire. "You know, the vacation may not have gone exactly as we had planned, but... I'm glad we did this. Being around such an incredible location while being surrounded by friends... it's a fantastic way to relax." Ja'vassa said, sighing happily. "We need to do something like this more often, hopefully next time we won't have to deal with Risen or brigands."

Chrom nodded in agreement, "It seems we've had nothing but battle after battle lately, it's nice to just unwind for a bit." He replied, beginning to hand out some plates of freshly smoked food, "I think this'll be a nice place for Sumia and I... it'll be nice to spend our anniversary here, maybe you and Nowi should about doing so, same for Robin and Lissa."

In the background, Robin chuckled a bit. "Heh... we've been married for a few years, and yet Lissa and I haven't even had our honeymoon yet. Perhaps we should fix that." He suggested, receiving a nod from Lissa.

"You're right! I completely forgot about that! Maybe we should look into some other Outrealms, maybe we'll find some that are free of enemies, so that we can just relax." She turned to Ja'vassa and Nowi, "Have you two had your honeymoon yet?" She asked, though neither the Khajiit or manakete had nodded in response.

"I had intended to bring her to the Ancestor Glade in Skyrim, but I've not yet been able to work out a deal with my Lord." Ja'vassa replied.

"There's that, but the battle we had with the Plegians, then the Valmese, and finally with Grima, it had kind of slipped our mind, though I'm interested in seeing this place that Java mentioned. What exactly is this Ancestor Glade?" Nowi asked, looking eager and curious.

The Khajiit rubbed his chin for a moment, "It's a beautiful sanctuary home to a strange insect known as the Ancestor Moth. It's one of the more peaceful places Skyrim has to offer... and it's beauty is second only to you, my love." He said, hugging Nowi.

The others conversing with them chuckled as they heard the compliment, though Nowi was blushing a bright red. "Well, I... I, uh, look forward to seeing this!" She said, smiling at him. For the next few hours, Ja'vassa and the remaining Shepherds continued to talk and eat, and once the sun had completely disappeared, they retired to their rooms and tents for the night in order to get some rest, hoping to return to their home in the morning.


	36. Hot Spring Scramble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet again, Chrom is trying to reward his Shepherds with a well earned vacation, hopefully nothing ruins their day at the hot spring.

A few days had gone by since the fiasco in the Beachrealm and once again, Chrom was looking for something to allow his Shepherds to rest and relax, to give them a proper reward for the Fell Dragon's defeat. This time, he had heard of some incredible hot springs in yet another Outrealm. Reaching out to the Shepherds, the group had gathered together at the Outrealm Gate in order to prepare for their vacation, this time hopefully without the need to draw iron again, but just as a precaution, everyone had a weapon or two on them along with a number of potions. Once everything was ready, they entered the portal and eventually arrived in the steamy realm.

"Ah, you must be those Shepherds I've heard so much about!" An eerily familiar redhead greeted, smiling towards them. Chrom looked towards the woman in surprise, "Anna? I thought you were taking care of a beach resort?" He questioned.

In response, Anna giggled softly. "Of course I don't, silly. You met one of my many, many sisters. I run the hot spring division of our extended family." She explained, "She told me how you and your allies saved her resort, though she never said you'd be coming out here, otherwise I would've spruced the place up."

This time, Robin had spoken up, "Well... we hadn't intended to come here after we were done at the beach, Chrom insisted we have a proper vacation, hopefully one not ruined by Risen or brigands." He explained, receiving a nod from Anna.

"We don't have bandits or the undead, so why don't you and your friends enjoy yourselves----" She would quickly be interrupted by a frantic Lissa.

"Chrom! We've got a problem! Risen have taken over the springs! They don't appear to be attacking anyone, but just lounging about in the water. What do we do?" She asked, looking both nervous and ready for a fight.

A long, annoyed sigh escaped the prince's lips. "Oh, for the love of Naga... Again? We're just not destined to have peaceful vacations it seems." Chrom grunted, shaking his head. "To arms, Shepherds! Even if it seems the Risen are just relaxing, we can't risk them hurting anyone here." He ordered, unsheathing Falchion.

The other troops had readied themselves for the coming battle, Ja'vassa shook his head. "My mother always said that hot springs feel better after some exercise... let's pray that she's right." He had decided to dual wield a Bound Sword spell, just wanting to get this fight done and over with as quickly as possible. Like most of the group, he was eager to get into the waters, slightly annoyed by yet another interruption. Battle after battle, seemingly nonstop...

Robin soon engaged with a rather lethargic, lazy looking Risen. "Who would've guessed that the undead would enjoy the springs. I would've thought that'd be poor for them, given their dead skin..." He said to himself, pausing briefly. "Enough of your banter, Robin.. we've got a job to do." Once he finished speaking, he had quickly got to work finishing off the zombie, using his favorite silver sword to do so.

The others had quickly gotten to work with Risen of their own, slashing and blasting them apart with a variety of powerful attacks. Fortunately, the battle didn't take nearly as long as the previous battles. Almost immediately as the last Risen fell, the group had prepared for their dip in the hot springs. Anna had come out from her chambers to congratulate them, "Good work, Shepherds. Feel free to lounge about in the springs as long as you'd like, it's the least I can do after all you've done for me and my many, many sisters." She suggested, offering a smile towards a grateful Chrom.

"We appreciate it, Anna. I think the water will do wonders for my friends." The prince replied, going to join his wife and a few others. "The water feels fantastic, eh?" He asked, looking towards Sumia.

She nodded, "I'm just glad the battle didn't take up most of our day... the water feels so nice, and the view from here is just... gorgeous!" She giggled gleefully.

Ja'vassa and Nowi had soon joined them, the happy couple practically melting in the warm waters. "Eastmarch had plenty of hot springs, but none were as nice as this." His eyes wandered towards the mountains in the distance, a gentle sigh leaving him. "This view is absolutely breathtaking. No giants, no dragons, no bears or sabre cats." He leaned back, wrapping his arm around Nowi.

The manakete looked up to him, "You know, the more you talk about your home, the more curious I am about visiting. Perhaps one day you would be willing to bring me with you, that's if you were to go back, of course." She said, smiling up at him. Sumia had chimed in by this point, a gentle smile plastered on her face. "I'd very much like to see your home as well, Ja'vassa. If you don't mind, of course."

In response to that, the Khajiit nodded. "Perhaps sometime soon, I'll see if I can't convince my Lord to allow us to travel to Tamriel. I'd recommend you prepare yourselves, Skyrim is a harsh and cold land, considerably colder than anything we've faced here. Beyond the harsh weather, bandits and other villains are all too common." He warned them, "Though, so long as you stick with me, you'll be fine. I believe several of my allies would be quite pleased to meet you, though some might be wary. Regardless, I believe it'll be a worthwhile journey."

For the next few hours, the group would continue to rest in the warm, inviting waters of the hot springs, at least until they decided it was time for supper. When they were hungry enough, they joined each other in the facility's dining room, leaving Ja'vassa in charge of cooking their meal. To end such a fine time in the relaxing springs, he decided to make up something simple, yet filling and nutritious for the group; roasted salmon, potatoes, and cabbage soup to finish it off. Nowi grinned happily as she was served, "Are all cooks from Skyrim this good, Java?" She asked happily, beginning to slowly eat her soup.

"Yes, you'll find it's home to a number of wonderful chefs, if she's still in charge of the Bannered Mare, I'll be sure to introduce you to Hulda's cooking. She's a wonderful chef, and whenever I visited Whiterun, I made sure to stop at the inn just for a bowl of her venison stew." Ja'vassa replied, "Her freshly baked sweet rolls and apple pies are heavenly. There's also the inn up in Solitude and in Riften, both are incredible. I'll be sure to introduce you to all of them." This mindless banter between them and the rest of the group would continue until they decided they were ready to sleep, with Ja'vassa planning to converse with his lord in the coming days. He was quite eager to introduce his wife to those he was close to, though at the same time, he was mildly nervous about them potentially meeting with his less than admirable allies within the Volkihar, Dark Brotherhood, and Thieves Guild. He'd worry about that later and soon ended up falling asleep with his wife, holding her close to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who have managed to make it here, I thank you for taking the time out to actually read this. It means more to me than you might imagine. I hope you look forward to my future titles and I genuinely hope you enjoyed this one. Again, thank you for reading.


End file.
